Baloch rebels claim they killed 214 hostages after Pak ignored their deadline
The BLA said it had always acted in accordance with international law and Pakistan’s “stubbornness” was to blame for the deaths
The Baloch insurgents, who recently hijacked a passenger train in Pakistan, have claimed they had escaped with 214 hostages and executed them.
A spokesman for the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), Jeeyand Baloch, said in a statement that the killings took place after the Pakistani military ignored a 48-hour ultimatum given by the rebels.
The BLA had on Wednesday given the Pakistani army a 48-hour ultimatum to exchange Baloch political prisoners and activists, which, they said, was "the last chance for the occupying army to save the lives of its personnel".
Also read: Pakistan train siege over; 21 passengers, 4 soldiers dead; all 33 rebels eliminated
“However, Pakistan displaying its traditional stubbornness and military arrogance not only avoided serious negotiations but also turned a blind eye to the ground realities. As a result of this stubbornness, all 214 hostages have been executed,” the statement claimed.
No evidence to back claim
The BLA added that it had always acted in accordance with international law and Pakistan’s “stubbornness” was to blame for the deaths. The group, however, did not provide any photographic or video evidence to back the claim.
The Pakistan Army had said earlier that its soldiers killed 33 militants and rescued 354 hostages. It said there was no proof of any hostages being taken by the BLA.
The army admitted to the deaths of 31 people including 23 soldiers, three railway employees and five civilian passengers. Pakistani officials have accused the BLA of making exaggerated claims.
On March 11, well-armed BLA militants blew up a railway track and opened fire on the Jaffar Express train when it was passing through a remote mountainous area devoid of Internet or mobile connectivity.
Pak blames India, Taliban
Pakistan has accused both India and the Taliban in Afghanistan of providing support to the Baloch militants. Both countries have refuted the charge.
Also read: India calls Pakistan epicentre of global terrorism, rejects 'baseless charges'
India had trashed Pakistan’s allegations of backing terrorism against that country and said Islamabad should look inwards before shifting the blame on others for its “failures”.
India also said the whole world knows “where the epicentre of global terrorism lies”.
“We strongly reject the baseless allegations made by Pakistan,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, responding to media queries on Islamabad's allegations.
Pakistan had on Thursday India of “sponsoring terrorism” without directly implicating it in the Balochistan train attack.