Quetta: Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) tonight claimed that 31 Non-Commissioner Officers (NCOs) of the Pakistan Army were killed and over 60 injured in its suicide attack at the Quetta Railway Station, making it the biggest hit against the Pakistani military by the outfit.

The BLA, in a detailed statement issued after more than 16 hours after the incident, said the attack was meticulously planned and Saturday was deliberately chosen as the outfit had specific information that over 200 Pakistani soldiers were returning by train after their training at The School of Infantry and Tactics in Quetta.

“This achievement was made possible by the highly professional strategy and unsurpassed intelligence capabilities of our organization’s intelligence wing, “ZIRAB” (Zepher Intelligence Research and Analysis Bureau),” said the statement issued by its spokesman Jeeyand Baloch.

He said the attack was planned as a response to the “ongoing occupation of the land of Balochistan by the occupying forces of Pakistan” and “the brutality and oppression inflicted on innocent Baloch children (by the Pakistani forces) in Mastung (recently)”.

Giving details, he said that at 8:20 (Pakistan time), a brave suicide bomber of the BLA’s Majeed Brigade (which specializes in suicide attacks) Sangat Muhammad Rafiz Bizenjo alias Washen carried out fidayeen attack targeting a group of NCOs of the Pakistan Army who were about to depart from the Quetta railway station.

“The attack was carried out as these army personnel were returning to their homes by the Jaffar Express (train) after completing their training at The School of Infantry and Tactics, Quetta,” the spokesman said.

“At least 31 army personnel were eliminated, and more than 60 were injured in this successful operation,” he added.

The enemy army personnel targeted belonged to the Pakistan Army’s Punjab Regiment, Northern Light Infantry Regiment, Sindh Regiment, Frontier Force Regiment, Baloch Regiment and Azad Kashmir Regiment, he said.

Hailing the key role played by the recently-formed ZIRAB, the spokesman said it kept a close eye on every movement of the enemy and collected information using internal and external sources.

“This operation had been planned for several days, and our intelligence monitored the enemy’s movements from every angle,” he said.

“We had an opportunity to attack this convoy on November 8th as well, but due to the presence of a large number of civilians, we postponed this operation to ensure the safety of innocent lives.

“Tomorrow, on November 10th, another contingent was ready to depart. But, according to ZIRAB’s information, the number of army personnel departing tomorrow is around 50.

“Today’s occasion was opportune as the number of army personnel was more than 200 and the risk of civilian casualties was minimal,” Jeeyand Baloch said.

He said ZIRAB’s successful planning and our organization’s powerful military and intelligence strategy have confirmed that the liberation movement of Balochistan has gained an edge not only on the defense front but also in the world of intelligence.

“We are willing to pay any price for the liberation of our motherland, and we will not hesitate to make any sacrifice to protect our people,” he said.