Bangladesh, March 11 -- In a chilling reminder of the ongoing instability in Pakistan, armed militants have seized a passenger train in the Balochistan province, taking 450 people hostage. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist group fighting for the independence of Balochistan, has claimed responsibility for the brazen attack. The seizure of the Jaffar Express, a daily train that runs between Quetta and Peshawar, is the latest in a long line of violent incidents tied to the BLAs ongoing insurgency in the region.

According to reports from the AFP news agency, the militants struck the railway track with explosives before storming the train in the remote Sibi district. The attack has once again put the spotlight on Balochistans vol...