Jaffar Express train driver Amjad Yaseen survives attack

CHANGA MANGA: Amjad Yaseen, the driver of Jaffar Express, which was attacked by terrorists while travelling from Quetta to Peshawar, has been confirmed safe.

Yaseen, who is a resident of Changa Manga’s Chak No 17, survived the attack, as verified by his family. A video of him confirming his well-being has gone viral on social media.

Earlier, false reports circulated online claiming that he had lost his life in the attack. However, Yaseen personally called his brother, Amir, to assure him that he was completely unharmed.

“The terrorists breached the train by smashing windows, but they mistakenly believed we were dead,” said train driver Amjad, Reuters reported, who dived to the engine floor for cover when the militants opened fire, and lay there for about 27 hours to survive.

His family, while speaking to the BBC earlier, said that he has been a train driver for 24 years and survived when explosives targeted another train he was driving about eight years ago.

Security forces eliminated all 33 Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) terrorists who had hijacked the Jaffar Express which was carrying more than 400 passengers — who were taken hostage.

Announcing the completion of the around two-day-long operation, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said the armed forces took part in the action against terrorist who “remained in contact with their facilitators and mastermind based in Afghanistan via satellite phone”.