World News | Pak Security Forces Rescue 80 Passengers from Hijacked Train in Balochistan: Govt Spokesperson

Karachi, Mar 11 (PTI) Security forces rescued 80 passengers after suspected militants hijacked a passenger train in a tunnel in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province on Tuesday, according to a government spokesperson.

The Jaffar Express, carrying approximately 500 passengers in nine bogies, was travelling from Quetta to Peshawar when armed men intercepted it in a tunnel near the mountainous terrain of Gudalar and Piru Kunri on Tuesday morning.

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The gunmen opened fire at the train, injuring several passengers, and claimed to have taken over 100 people hostage.

“The security forces have managed to rescue 80 passengers -- 43 men, 26 women and 11 children -- from a bogie," Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind said.

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However, around 400 passengers remained on the train, still trapped inside the tunnel as security forces engaged in a gun battle with the militants, he said.

Rind said rescue teams have been dispatched amid reports of “intense” firing at the Peshawar-bound passenger train.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Railways established an emergency desk at Quetta Railway Station as anxious relatives sought information about their loved ones.

No casualties or injuries have been officially reported, but a senior police official confirmed that an emergency has been declared, and additional security forces were deployed to the site.

Train services between Quetta and Peshawar had only recently resumed after a month-and-a-half-long suspension. Last November, a suicide bombing at Quetta Railway Station killed 26 people and injured 62, prompting authorities to halt several train operations.

Rana Muhammad Dilawar, the district police officer in the affected area, stated that security forces have surrounded the site, but there were reports that militants had taken some women and children hostage. He said that four to five government officials were also on board the train.

Tariq Mahmood, a senior official at Peshawar Railway Station, urged people not to believe unverified rumours on social media.

Rind added that an emergency has been imposed at Sibi hospital, with medical staff on standby. However, he acknowledged that reaching the attack site remained a challenge due to the difficult terrain.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)