March 12, 2025: Pakistani security forces are treading carefully in their efforts to free 250 hostages from a hijacked train in Balochistan, as militants from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) continue to hold passengers captive while wearing explosive vests. The armed group, which derailed the train in a tunnel in Bolan on Tuesday, has demanded the release of jailed BLA militants in exchange for the hostages.

Authorities have confirmed that 30 militants were killed in an earlier operation, while 190 of the 450 passengers have been rescued. However, the presence of suicide bombers among the hostages has made direct military action extremely risky.

Security sources told Reuters that some of the BLA fighters, strapped with explosives, were deliberately placed next to passengers to deter any rescue attempts. "The militants have made some suicide bombers sit right next to some hostage passengers," said a security official.

Reports indicate that several passengers, including the train driver, were killed during the initial attack. Survivors recalled how the gunmen checked identification cards and executed security personnel on board.

A Reuters journalist at Quetta railway station witnessed nearly 100 empty coffins being transported, raising concerns about potential casualties in the ongoing crisis. Helicopters are supporting Pakistani forces in the mountainous region as authorities work to resolve the standoff without further bloodshed.

The BLA has warned that it will execute hostages if its demands are not met. In a Telegram message, one militant urged the people of Balochistan to rise against the government, saying, "Comrades are shedding their blood for you, for this motherland."

With women and children among the hostages, security forces remain on high alert, carefully strategizing their next move to prevent further loss of life.