Courage and Rescue: Inside the Jaffar Express Hijacking

The Jaffar Express, traveling from Quetta to Peshawar, was hijacked by Balochistan Liberation Army militants. The attackers detonated an explosive, derailing the train. The military launched a rescue operation, eventually overpowering the insurgents and saving over 300 passengers, with 21 civilians and four soldiers killed.

In a chilling turn of events, the Jaffar Express was overtaken by militants from the Balochistan Liberation Army. The initial blow was dealt with an explosive that derailed the train, marking the beginning of a nightmarish sequence.

Amjad, the train's driver, recounted the ordeal following the explosion. Passengers were taken hostage at gunpoint, facing imminent danger, until commandos bravely intervened to provide a lifeline amid chaos.

The entire situation unfolded over a tense 30 hours before military forces decisively ended the siege. Lt-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry reported that despite casualties, no civilians were harmed in the rescue's concluding phase.

(With inputs from agencies.)