“I can’t find the words to describe how we managed to escape. It was terrifying,” AFP quoted Muhammad Bilal as saying.
More than 100 hostages were set free from the train hijacked from the southwestern Pakistan on Tuesday. Once released, the hostages recounted the tales of horror they had undergone.
Rebels waging a war of independence against the Pakistani state set off explosions on the railway track in a remote area of Balochistan, forcing the train to a halt and taking more than 450 passengers hostage.
The BLA claim that outsiders are exploiting the region’s natural resources and have increased attacks targeting Pakistanis from other regions.
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Bilal was onboard the Jafar Express train with his mother when it was caught in the explosive crossfire, leaving at least three dead, according to a railway official.
The train remains held up by rebel forces.
“I heard an explosion followed by gunfire as rebels boarded the train,” passenger Allahditta told AFP at the train station in Mach, where the waiting area has been transformed into a makeshift hospital to treat the wounded.
“People began hiding under the seats in panic. They separated the men from the women. They allowed me and my family to go because I told them I’m a heart patient,” the 49-year-old said.
“We walked for a long time through the mountains to reach the nearest station. I haven’t eaten since I began fasting this morning, but I still can’t bring myself to eat,” Allahditta added, in reference to the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Checked Ids
One passenger described gunmen sorting through identity cards to confirm who was from outside of the province, similar to a spate of recent attacks carried out by the Baloch Liberation Army, which has claimed credit for the seige.
“They came and checked IDs and service cards and shot two soldiers in front of me and took the other four to, I don’t know where,” said one passenger who asked not to be named, after walking four hours to the nearest train station.
“They checked IDs, and those who were Punjabis were taken away by the terrorists,” he added.
Walked For Miles
Survivors made their way through rugged terrain on Tuesday night to reach the nearest train station, eventually travelling to Mach, roughly 200 kilometres (124 miles) from the Iran border.
The first trains carrying the survivors arrived later in the evening, greeted by paramilitary forces and medical personnel.
“I am treating two (police) officers; one was shot five times, while the other was wounded in his knee,” said paramedic Qazim Farooq.
