Pakistani security forces have reached the train hijacked by armed Baloch insurgents. The country’s media outlet Dawn reported that continuous gunfire was heard from the scene since Tuesday night. In this situation, there are fears that the lives of over 100 railway passengers, held hostage by the pro-independence armed Baloch group BLA (Baloch Liberation Army), may be at risk.

The BLA has threatened to kill the hostages if the military operation is not halted.

The Balochistan provincial government stated on Tuesday night that the “rescue team” (believed to include commandos from the Pakistani Army’s Special Services Group) has reached the vicinity of the incident. The Pakistani Army claims that the Baloch insurgents have taken at least 182 hostages. They have also killed 20 soldiers and paramilitary personnel aboard the train. Notably, on Tuesday morning around 9 AM, the BLA insurgents seized the Jaffar Express train traveling from Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, to Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Mohammad Kashif, an official from the Pakistani Railways, stated that there were approximately 500 passengers on the nine-coach train, of whom over 100 have been taken hostage. The BLA has also claimed responsibility for the incident, releasing a statement confirming the abduction of over 100 passengers. According to the news agency Reuters, at least six Pakistani military personnel aboard the train were killed in the gunfire by Baloch insurgents. The train driver was also injured in the shooting. The train is frequently used by military personnel and Frontier Corps members stationed in Balochistan, which is why it is believed to have been targeted by the Baloch insurgents.

To obstruct the rescue forces, the Baloch insurgents blew up a section of the railway track. Shahid Rind, a spokesperson for the Balochistan government, said, “The passenger train was hijacked in the area between Pehro Kunri and Gadalar in the Kacchi Bolan district.” He alleged that the armed Baloch insurgents took control of the train while firing indiscriminately. To prevent a swift commando raid, the hijacked train was moved inside Tunnel No. 8 on the mountainous railway route. There are concerns that the insurgents may have planted high-powered explosives on the train. The district police superintendent of Kacchi Bolan has expressed concerns that the Baloch insurgents might also target National Highway 65, located near the area. Security forces have cordoned off the entire region.