Terrorists launched an attack on the Jaffar Express, a passenger train travelling through the Bolan Pass in Balochistan, holding several passengers hostage inside a tunnel, security sources reported on Tuesday.
Security forces have successfully rescued 104 passengers from terrorists, including 58 men, 31 women, and 15 children, according to security sources. As of now, 16 terrorists have been eliminated, and 17 injured individuals have been transferred to hospitals for medical treatment.
The terrorists are reportedly in contact with their overseas handlers via satellite phone, security sources reported. Security forces have encircled the terrorists by dividing them into smaller teams, and clearance operations are currently ongoing to neutralise the threat and ensure the safety of all hostages, sources added.
Injured passengers have been promptly transferred to a nearby hospital for medical treatment, security sources said. Additional security forces have been deployed in the area to support the operation, ensuring that the situation is brought under control, they added.
Sources confirmed that the noose has been tightened around the terrorists, and the operation will continue until the last terrorist is eliminated. Security forces are determined to bring the situation to a successful conclusion, ensuring the safety of all hostages.
According to security sources, the attackers stopped the Jaffar Express inside Tunnel No 8 and took control of the train, holding passengers hostage.
Despite the challenging terrain and the remote location, security forces have swiftly surrounded the area and initiated a clearance operation to neutralise the attackers and free the hostages.
The hostages include a significant number of women and children, with security sources confirming the terrorists are in contact with their mastermind in Afghanistan. The operation will continue until all the terrorists have been eliminated and the hostages are safely rescued, security sources stated.
Security sources condemned the targeting of innocent civilians, noting that the actions of the terrorists are entirely disconnected from any cause related to Islam, Pakistan, or Balochistan. The clearance operation is ongoing, and further updates will be provided as the situation develops, they added.
Security sources confirmed that the terrorists responsible for the cowardly attack on the Jaffer Express are in contact with their mastermind in Afghanistan. According to sources, the terrorists have been using women and children as human shields, further complicating the operation.
The use of human shields and the challenging terrain has led to the operation being carried out with extreme caution, the sources said. Security forces have vowed to continue the operation until the last terrorist is eliminated.
Following the attack, sources reported that Indian and anti-state social media have become unusually active. Since the time of the attack, Indian media, social media platforms, and anti-state accounts have been relentlessly spreading misleading, false, and fake propaganda.
Efforts to create panic through the distribution of fake news have been noted, with sources revealing that old videos, AI-generated content, outdated images, fake WhatsApp messages, and posters are being used. This is part of a failed attempt to incite the public through a malicious social media campaign, security sources confirmed.
In addition, social media accounts linked to terrorists are reportedly supporting Indian media in spreading anti-Pakistan rhetoric. Indian media, sources claim, is misleading the public by showcasing the analysis of self-exiled Baloch leaders living outside Pakistan, they said.
The public is advised to rely on verified sources for accurate information, as opposed to the fabricated propaganda currently circulating on social media, sources urged, they added.
Meanwhile, the Balochistan government has dispatched rescue teams after reports of intense firing on the Jaffer Express. The government has declared an emergency at Sibi hospital, with ambulances and security forces dispatched to the site of the incident.
However, Balochistan spokesperson Shahid Rind mentioned that officials are facing difficulties in reaching the site due to the challenging terrain. “The railway department has sent more trains to the site to provide rescue,” he added.
Rind further stated, “The scale of the incident and the possibility of terrorist elements are being determined. The Balochistan government has ordered that emergency measures be taken, and all institutions remain active.”
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack, stating, “The beasts who fire on innocent passengers do not deserve any concessions.” He also expressed his hope for the speedy recovery of those injured in the attack.
