Baloch Liberation Army releases video of Jaffar express hijack, challenges Pakistan Army narrative

Bolan Pass [Pakistan], May 19 (ANI): The Baloch Liberation Army's media wing, Hakkal, has released a detailed 35-minute video documenting its recent operation--codenamed Darra-e-Bolan 2.0 in which BLA fighters hijacked the Jaffar Express train in Balochistan. The video provides the first comprehensive visual account of the operation, contradicting official Pakistani claims and underscoring the BLA's control during the attack.
The footage reveals BLA fighters executing what appears to be a coordinated clearance operation onboard the train. Importantly, it includes scenes of women, children, and the elderly being safely escorted away from the hijack site, contradicting narratives from Pakistan's military that labelled the incident as indiscriminate and brutal.
A BLA fighter, delivering a statement in the video, underscored the motivations behind the attack, "Our struggle and war has come to a point where we are to take such critical decisions. Our young people are equipped to take such steps, for they are aware that except such decisions there are no other options left. A gun is needed to halt the gun. The sound that comes out of a gunshot may reach a point," he says.
The man echoed the sacrifice and resolve behind the operation, adding: "Baloch young men have taken the decision today to attack the enemy without any hesitation and care about their lives. Today if a son is leaving his father behind to sacrifice his life, so is a father leaving his son behind to sacrifice himself for the cause."
In contrast to statements by Pakistan Army spokesperson DGISPR, who claimed that the BLA faced heavy losses, the group showcased names, photographs, and farewell messages from its Fidayeen unit--the Majeed Brigade--indicating minimal casualties and asserting the strength of their operation. The video reaffirms the BLA's continued armed resistance in Balochistan and reflects the growing intensity of the insurgency, as the region remains gripped by conflict over autonomy and rights. (ANI)