Another militant attack in Balochistan, Pakistan. Militants opened fire on a train, injured the train driver and took passengers and security guards hostage. They hijacked a passenger train in southwestern Pakistan. The train was traveling from Quetta in Balochistan to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

At that time, the militants started firing at the moving train. A militant organization called the Baloch Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for the hijacking of the train. In a statement, they said that countless passengers and security guards from the train are now in their custody.

Who is this Baloch Liberation Army? The Baloch Liberation Army or BLA is a separatist organization for the formation of an independent Balochistan. They have been fighting for decades to free themselves from the subjugation of Pakistan and form an independent state. Numerous small and large organizations in the region are waging an armed struggle against the Pakistani government, claiming that the former ruler of Balochistan, the Khan of Kalat, had forcibly occupied the area. One such organization is the BLA.

The Baloch claim that Pakistan took away their independence in the name of acquiring Balochistan in 1948. Since then, they have been fighting for their independence from Pakistan. Both America and Pakistan have labeled the BLA a terrorist organization. Although it has been struggling for independence for decades, Balochistan is a very rich area of ​​Pakistan full of mineral resources.

They further allege that due to its very small population, Pakistan continues to oppress the minority tribes of this area. Despite doing nothing for the development of this area, it is absorbing its oil and mineral resources. While the people here are constantly struggling with extreme poverty. After the attack today, the BLA has alleged in a statement that Pakistani military leaders and their Punjabi elite are looting the resources of this region for their own pleasure. Balochistan’s highly valuable mineral resources are the property of the Baloch state alone. It is worth noting that the recent militancy in the region has increased since Pakistan’s strategic ally China started building the economic corridor. The statement on Tuesday also warned that foreign investors should not touch Balochistan’s resources.

As soon as the news of the attack came, the provincial government urgently sent police and paramilitary forces to the area. A search is underway to find the militants. Pakistani English media The Dawn quoted Baloch government spokesman Shahid Rind as saying that the militants opened fire on the Jaffar Express. According to sources, the Baloch Liberation Army carried out this operation in a very well-planned manner. Explosions were carried out one after another on the railway line in the areas of Mashqaf, Dhadar, and Bolan. The organization further said in the statement that the Jaffar Express was forced to stop due to cracks in the railway line due to this explosion. When the train stopped midway, the militants took control of the train. The organization claims that all passengers and security personnel have been taken prisoner.

The militants further claim that 6 Pakistani army personnel were killed in this attack. Several hundred passengers are in their custody. The organization has also threatened to kill all the passengers if Pakistan carries out any military operation.