ISLAMABAD, March 11: In a tragic turn of events, an attempt to rescue hostages from the hijacked Jaffar Express resulted in the death of 150 Pakistani soldiers after they were ambushed by Baloch insurgents. Former Pakistani parliamentarian Abdul Qader Baloch confirmed the devastating loss on Tuesday, adding that 182 passengers remain held captive by the rebels. The insurgents had warned the government led by Shahbaz Sharif earlier in the day against launching a military operation, threatening that any rescue attempt would result in a “flood of dead bodies.”

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which has waged a long-standing insurgency for independence, claimed responsibility for the attack. They sabotaged the railway tracks, causing the train to derail and making it impossible for reinforcements to reach the site quickly. Pakistan’s military leadership is now considering an aerial operation to rescue the remaining hostages safely. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Railways Ministry has suspended all trains heading towards Quetta due to safety concerns. The BLA, along with other armed factions like the Baloch Nationalist Army, accuses Pakistan and China of exploiting Balochistan’s rich natural resources while marginalizing its native population. This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between Baloch separatists and Islamabad.