Pakistan train attack: All you need to know about the Balochistan hostage crisis

The train was partially inside a tunnel when the explosion occurred, forcing the engine and nine coaches to come to a halt, the AP quoted. The train’s driver was killed, and security guards on board were attacked, Reuters reported.

Later, the Pakistani security forces launched an operation, killing 30 militants in gunfire exchanges.

What are the militants’ demands?

The BLA, which claimed to have taken 214 passengers hostage, said most of them are Pakistani soldiers. They have threatened to execute them if a rescue operation is attempted.

Local police, however, contradict this, saying only 35 passengers were taken hostage while nearly 350 others remained safe.

The BLA has demanded the release of jailed militants in exchange for hostages, but the Pakistani government has yet to respond officially. In the past, such demands have been rejected.

Pakistan’s passenger rescue operation:

• Helicopters and Pakistani security forces are conducting operations in the rugged terrain of Balochistan.
• Spokesperson Shahid Rind called the attack “an act of terrorism,” as per AP reports.
• Rescued passengers are being transported back to their hometowns, while injured victims are receiving treatment at hospitals in Mach district and and others in Quetta, about 100 kilometre (62 mile) away.

Balochistan: A longstanding conflict zone

Balochistan, a resource-rich province bordering Iran and Afghanistan, has long faced insurgency, with separatists demanding greater autonomy and a fair share of its wealth. Both Pakistan and Iran struggle with cross-border militancy, often accusing each other of supporting insurgents. In January 2024, tensions escalated with reciprocal airstrikes, but diplomacy quickly deescalated the situation, as per AP reports.

Recently, the BLA took hostages, warning of consequences if the government refused negotiations. The group has shifted from targeting the military to attacking civilians, including a deadly suicide bombing in Quetta. Meanwhile, analysts opine that this may weaken their local support. Despite its natural wealth, Balochistan’s ethnic Baloch community continues to feel marginalized by Pakistan’s central government.