After blowing up the railway track, militants of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) on Tuesday attacked Jaffar Express train, carrying hundreds of passengers, in Balochistan’s Bolan district.
The attack tragically claimed the lives of 21 passengers, with the remaining passengers rescued by Pakistani military forces by Wednesday night.
Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said all 33 terrorists had been “sent to hell…no harm was caused to any passenger during the clearance operation”.
Meanwhile, survivors have come out to share the trying experience of the Jaffar Express Train attack, when the Sword of Damocles hung over their heads.
A survivor said after blowing up the railway track, the terrorists launched an assault on the train by opening indiscriminate firing.
“Soon after the blast took place, some people [terrorists] appeared out of nowhere and opened firing [on the train]. It was not aerial firing but straight firing on the train. They kept demanding the passengers to exit the train. They opened fire on whoever they wished on without discrimination”
An injured in the incident being treated at a hospital said they stayed there for 30-35 hours and survived on water used in the train’s washroom.
An old man stated that they escaped from there “thanks to the Pakistan Army” otherwise they could not have got out of it alive.
One guy heaped praise on the Pakistani military’s role, giving them full credit for passengers’ protection.
He said: “By God’s grace we have reached home safe and sound. The Pakistan Army and FC played a key role (in protecting passengers).
“It was a difficult time though but God helped us cope through it.”
Another survivor told Geo News the “incident took place at 12:50, at a distance of one hour from Sibbi”.
Men armed with rocket launchers, guns, and other weapons stormed the train and began shooting people, said Arslan Yousaf, one of those who arrived in Quetta escorted by security forces.
“The terrorists breached the train by smashing windows, but they mistakenly believed we were dead,” said train driver Amjad, who dived to the engine floor for cover when the militants opened fire, and lay there for about 27 hours to survive.
“They asked us to come out of the train one by one. They separated women and asked them to leave. They also spared elders,” said Muhammad Naveed, who managed to escape.
“They asked us to come outside, saying we will not be harmed. When around 185 people came outside, they chose people and shot them down.”
Babar Masih, a 38-year-old Christian labourer, told AFP on Wednesday he and his family walked for hours through rugged mountains to reach a train that could take them to a makeshift hospital on a railway platform.
“Our women pleaded with them, and they spared us,” he said.
“They told us to get out and not look back. As we ran, I noticed many others running alongside us.”
The deceased and injured of the Jaffar Express attack have been brought to Mach for medico-legal formalities and treatment, respectively.
— With additional input from AFP and Reuters
