Reacting to the Jaffar Express train attack in Balochistan, Former Director General of Police of Jammu and Kashmir SP Vaid on Tuesday said that Pakistan’s army and government have lost control over Balochistan, adding that Pakistan is on the “verge of breaking up.”
“Pakistan’s army and government have lost control over Balochistan. Maulana Fazlur Rehman had said in Pakistan’s senate that 6-7 districts of Balochistan are completely under the control of terrorists, Pakistan government or Pakistan army have no control… In such a situation, it is not surprising that all this is happening… Pakistan is on the verge of breaking up. In fact, just a few days ago, all the terrorist organizations of Balochistan and Sindh have come together and they are challenging the sovereignty of the Pakistan government and the Pakistan army. I will not be surprised if Pakistan breaks into four pieces,” former DGP told ANI.
Major Gen GD Bakshi (Retd) said that Balochistan is “out of the control” of Pakistan.
“There is a demoralisation in the Pakistan Army. The train hijack in Balochistan is very significant. A train has 450-500 people, and they have taken them as hostages… Hostage rescue is a very delicate operation. I don’t think that the Pakistan Army could carry out such operations without casualties. These are precision operations which our NSG carries out very well, but the Pakistan Army has a style to show off and bring major artillery”, he said.
He further said that the Pakistan army will carry out a ham-handed operation which may kill many civilians.
“I think the time for the birth of Balochistan has come… We have to watch carefully and stay alert because the Pak army may do anything to divert the attention… We have to remain careful at our borders,” he added.
The Baloch Liberation Army in a statement said that it has taken as hostages passengers of the Jaffar Express train that it seized in Pakistan earlier today, adding that it will execute the captives if Pakistani forces launch an operation.
The Jaffar Express, with some 400 passengers on board in nine bogies, was on its way from Quetta in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when the BLA opened fire on it, injuring the driver and taking the passengers as hostages.
In a statement, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) said that they have “completely repelled the Pakistani military’s ground assault following the seizure of Jaffar Express. After intense clashes, Pakistani ground troops were forced to retreat, but airstrikes from helicopters and drones continue unabated.”
“The BLA issues a final warning: if the aerial bombardment is not halted immediately, all 100+ hostages will be executed within the next hour. Majeed Brigade, STOS, Fateh Squad, and ZIRAB Unit fighters are actively engaged in countermeasures, and any further military incursion will have catastrophic consequences,” the statement read.
“Over 100 enemy personnel remain in BLA custody. The occupying forces still have a chance to cease airstrikes and save their men, or else the Pakistani military will bear full responsibility for the execution of all hostages,” the statement by Jeeyand Baloch, spokesperson for the Baloch Liberation Army read.
Over 450 passengers and staff are feared to have been taken hostage, local media reported.
The Balochistan government has imposed emergency measures and all institutions have been mobilised to deal with the situation, government spokesperson Shahid Rind said, according to the Dawn.
As per ARY News, the driver of the train sustained severe injuries. Pakistan’s Samaa TV said that according to Raiway officials, no contact has been established with the 450 passengers and staff aboard the 9-coach Jaffar Express, the train departed Quetta at 9 AM. (ANI)
