Representational.
Karachi: Gunmen attacked a train in Pakistan's troubled Balochistan on Tuesday, prompting the provincial government to direct authorities to take "emergency measures", PTI reported.
Jaffar Express, with around 500 passengers on board in nine coaches, was on its way from Quetta to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when it was fired on between Gudalaar and Piru Koneri areas, according to officials.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed that it seized control of the train by derailing it and took 182 people as hostages. The militant organization, which has been banned in Pakistan, the UK and the US, has threatened to kill all the hostages on the train if they dare to free them. It has also warned that all the hostages will be killed if their demands are not met.
The train driver was seriously injured in the firing. The army and security forces have reached the spot.
The BLA is an organization working for the independence of Balochistan. Officials said that rescue workers are having difficulty reaching the spot due to the rocky terrain. Train service between Quetta and Peshawar, which was suspended for a month and a half, was resumed in October last year. In November, a suicide bomb attack at Quetta railway station killed 26 people and injured 62 others.
"There are reports of intense firing at a Jaffar Express, which was heading from Quetta to Peshawar, between Pehro Kunri and Gadalar,” Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind said.
Rescue teams and security forces have reached the scene, and an operation is underway to track down the assailants. Emergency has been declared in the local hospitals.
Security sources said that the operation will continue till the elimination of the last terrorist. Railway officials confirmed that the train's driver sustained serious injuries, and an emergency relief train has been dispatched to assist.
Controller Railways Muhammad Kashif said that the train, comprising nine coaches, had around 500 passengers on board.
“The train was stopped by armed men in Tunnel No 8,” the controller said.