Nearly 48 hours have passed since the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) hijacked the Jaffar Express near Balochistan’s Bolan Pass, with the group reportedly still in control of the train amid heavy clashes in the region.
ISPR Announces End of the Siege
Late on Wednesday, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR)—media wing of the Pakistani military—claimed security forces had ended the siege, killing all 33 insurgents and rescuing every hostage aboard the train.
“The final operation was conducted with great care,” said Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, ISPR spokesperson.
“All attackers involved—33 militants, including their leaders—have been eliminated, and a large number of people, including women and children, have been safely rescued.”
Despite these assertions, no photographs or video of the “successful operation” or the freed hostages have been released by Pakistani authorities.
BLA Rejects Military Claims
Jeeyand Baloch, spokesperson for the BLA, categorically dismissed the ISPR’s statement, calling it “a failed attempt to cover up lies and defeat.” He insisted that “the battle is still ongoing across multiple fronts.”
Mr Baloch emphasized that the Pakistani army has “neither achieved victory on the battlefield nor managed to save its hostage personnel.” He accused the state of “abandoning its own soldiers” and leaving them “to die as hostages.”
“The Pakistani state and its propaganda machinery claim to have rescued individuals who were, in fact, released by the BLA in accordance with our war ethics and international principles,” Mr Baloch said.
Civilians Confirm They Were Freed by Attackers
Released passengers who reached Quetta on Wednesday night told local media that BLA fighters voluntarily freed women, children, and elderly individuals soon after seizing the train.
One freed passenger recalled, “Three armed men stood at the doors of our compartment. They told us, ‘We will not harm civilians, women, the elderly, and Baloch individuals.’”
On Wednesday, the BLA also released an audio message via its official media channel Hakkal. In the recording, a fighter described ongoing heavy clashes and confirmed the release of all women, children, and elderly hostages.
“We have released women, children, and Baloch passengers, ensuring that all remaining hostages are serving personnel of the occupying forces.”
Heavy Fighting Continues, Journalists Barred
Local sources in the Bolan region confirm that intense clashes continue, particularly near Mashkaf. Explosions have been heard from the mountains throughout Wednesday and Thursday, while military drones and helicopters conduct aerial surveillance.
“The clashes are still ongoing, with frequent explosions, helicopter and drone flights over the region,”
a source told The Balochistan Post (TBP).
Although the Pakistani military has declared the operation concluded, journalists from the Quetta Press Club say they were blocked from entering the area, leaving much of the ISPR’s narrative unverified. Strict restrictions around Bolan have effectively sealed off the conflict zone, preventing independent verification.
Quetta: Influx of Bodies Continues, Security Tightened at Hospitals
Meanwhile, bodies and wounded individuals have been arriving at hospitals in Quetta since Wednesday night, according to local sources.
Security around Quetta Civil Hospital and Combined Military Hospital (CMH) has been intensified, with nearby roads reportedly blocked to restrict access.
A railway official in Balochistan confirmed that on Thursday morning, 25 bodies were transported by train from the attack site to the town of Machh. Speaking on condition of anonymity to AFP, a government official said, “Identification of the deceased has revealed that 19 were military personnel, one was a police officer, and one was a railway employee, while four bodies remain unidentified.”
A senior military officer overseeing the operation also confirmed these details but did not elaborate on the ongoing hostilities.
BLA Demands Independent Access, Predicts ‘Inevitable’ Defeat for Pakistani State
Earlier Thursday, the BLA challenged Pakistani authorities to allow independent journalists and impartial observers into the conflict zone. The group contends the army’s reluctance to permit such access demonstrates its “defeat.”
“If Pakistan truly claims victory, then it must allow independent journalists and impartial observers access to the war-torn areas to show the reality of the military losses suffered,”
the BLA spokesperson said, adding that the conflict “has now gone beyond the control of the Pakistani state” and the “enemy’s defeat is inevitable.”