The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has hijacked the Jaffar Express and held over 100 passengers. The Baloch rebels have demanded the exchange of prisoners. Meanwhile, Pakistan has claimed that it has killed over 27 militants while has rescued 104 passengers.
Separatist Baloch rebels held an entire train hostage in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province and gave 48-hour ultimatum threatening to execute all hostages if Baloch prisoners are not released. According to Radio Pakistan, 27 rebels have been killed and 155 passengers have been rescued till now. Balochistan Liberation Army, which claimed responsibility for this hijack, claimed they have killed 30 Pakistani soldiers and taken 214 passengers, including many soldiers, hostages. The entire hijack was planned meticulously by BLA, and Pakistani spy agency ISI and army had no whiff of this plot. The rebels first blew up the rail track, forcing the driver to stop the Jaffar Express. The train driver was injured in firing. The hijack took place in remote hilly terrain, while the train was on its way to Peshawar from Quetta. There are 17 tunnels on the route, and the rebels struck at tunnel number 8. This is not the first rebel attack. In November last year, BLA rebels attacked a passenger bus killing 26 people. The Quetta-Peshawar railway line has been attacked several times in the past. Pakistan Railway had stopped train services on this route, but in October last year, the service was resumed. A train hijack of this sort is really a matter of shame for any army, particularly when 182 soldiers were taken hostages. Naturally, top Pakistani army officials were unaware of the plot and they woke up only when an entire train was taken hostage. An attack by rebels of this sort is clearly the consequence of atrocities committed by the army over the past two decades in Balochistan. The Baloch people are demanding a separate sovereign country. They allege that Pakistan government is looting their region’s abundant natural resources. Balochistan borders Iran and Afghanistan, and both these countries have been helping Baloch rebels. For Pakistan, dousing the fire of separatism in Balochistan has become a tough job. The only consolation for us is that Pakistan government and its army has, till now, not blamed India for this train hijack. Pakistan is presently facing a crisis of existence. People in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa provinces have revolted against the Islamabad government. There have been anti-army protests in Pak Occupied Kashmir too.
Modi says, ‘For India, Mauritius is family’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with the highest national honour of Mauritius, ‘Order of the Star and Key of Indian Ocean’ on its National Day in Port Louis on Wednesday. Modi dedicated this honour to the ancestors of the people of this island nation. Addressing an event on Tuesday, Modi said, “for India, Mauritius is not just a partner country. For us, Mauritius is family. This bond is deep and strongly rooted in history, heritage and the human spirit.” Modi handed over OCI (Overseas Citizens of India) cards to Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam and his wife Veena. Modi gifted Mauritius President Dharam Gokhool and First Lady Vrinda Ganga water collected from Prayagraj during the recently concluded Maha Kumbh. At a reception, Modi mentioned Lord Shri Ram and Ramcharitmanas and described how the construction of Ram Lala temple in Ayodhya has made the people of Mauritius happy. Nearly 70 per cent population in Mauritius are of Indian origin, since more than half of them are descendants of indentured labourers (girmitiya mazdoor) who were sent to plantations in Mauritius by the then British colonial rulers from the states of Bihar and UP. Modi spoke in Bhojpuri to the delight of Mauritians present at the function. Since assembly elections are going to be held in Bihar later this year, opposition leaders will naturally say that Modi has begun his election campaign from the soil of Mauritius. One must admit that Modi is unmatched when planning such events. Modi knows when to hit a four when opportunity arises.
Indians trapped by cyber gangs in Myanmar rescued
An Indian Air Force C-17 transport aircraft evacuated 283 Indian nationals who were trapped through fake job offers by cyber fraud gangs, largely run by Chinese operators. These gangs are active in Myawaddy region on Myanmar-Thailand border. The Indians were forced to work in fraudulent call centres and were asked to indulge in cybercrime and other online frauds. The next batch of 255 Indian nationals is scheduled to land in another IAF aircraft at Hindon air base on Wednesday. Some of these Indians had shared videos seeking help from Indian government, which contacted authorities in both Myanmar and Thailand to carry out a joint operation. Official data show, nearly 30,000 Indian nationals who had gone to Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and Vietnam in search of good jobs, have not yet returned. More than half of them are in the 20-39 years age group. The Cyber Crime Coordination Centre in Ministry of Home Affairs, which analyzed cyber crimes being committed from South East Asia, found that a large number of Indians were targeted. Nearly one lakh Indians had complained to Cyber Crime Control cell. This is an ongoing operation and more Indian nationals trapped in southeast Asian countries by cyber fraud gangs will be rescued in the coming weeks.
Aaj Ki Baat: Monday to Friday, 9:00 pm
India’s Number One and most followed Super Prime Time News Show ‘Aaj Ki Baat- Rajat Sharma Ke Saath’ was launched just before the 2014 General Elections. Since its inception, the show has redefined India’s super-prime time and is numerically far ahead of its contemporaries. Aaj Ki Baat: Monday to Friday, 9:00 pm.
