Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Balochistan on Thursday to meet survivors of the Jaffar Express hijacking and the commandos who led the rescue operation. The visit followed a two-day military mission that killed all 33 Balochistan Liberation Army militants involved in the attack.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday visited Balochistan to meet survivors of the Jaffar Express hijack and commend the commandos who led the daring rescue operation that saved over 300 passengers from separatist militants. Sharif’s visit came a day after security forces eliminated all 33 militants of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) involved in the hijacking incident. He was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Science and Technology Minister Nawabzada Mir Khalid Magsi, and other officials.
Jaffar Express hijack: How it unfolded
The attack began on Tuesday when BLA insurgents blew up a section of railway track, forcing the Jaffar Express—carrying hundreds of passengers and security personnel—to halt inside a tunnel near Gudalar and Piru Kunri in a mountainous area. Militants opened fire on the train’s windows before storming the coaches, killing or injuring several passengers and taking others hostage. They reportedly maintained contact with their leadership in Afghanistan via satellite phones during the standoff.
Two-day rescue operation
In response, Pakistani security forces launched a two-day joint operation involving the Pakistan Air Force, Army, Special Services Group (SSG), and Frontier Corps (FC). The operation concluded on Wednesday with all 33 militants killed and the remaining hostages safely rescued. Military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry said the forces acted swiftly to neutralise the threat. “This incident changes the rules of the game,” he said, adding that such acts of terrorism would be dealt with firmly. The army has also urged the Afghan Taliban government to prevent the use of its territory for cross-border attacks, an allegation Kabul has consistently denied.
Background and significance
The incident has raised serious concerns over growing militant activity in Balochistan and the use of Afghan soil by insurgents. Security officials said the scale and coordination of the attack marked a significant escalation in tactics by the BLA. Authorities have vowed heightened vigilance and further steps to prevent such attacks in future.
