00:32 (19:02)⇢Pakistan Army Battles BLA for 214 Train Hostages
⌨The newspapers report extensively on an escalating train hijacking crisis in Pakistan's Balochistan province. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) is holding 214 passengers hostage on a hijacked train (Aaj Tak, ABP Live, Dainik Bhaskar, India Today, Jagran, NDTV). Recent developments indicate Pakistan's military forces have launched a rescue operation, killing 13 BLA militants, with heavy gunfire ongoing (Aaj Tak). The militants have issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Pakistan's government demanding release of Baloch prisoners (ABP Live, Dainik Bhaskar, Jagran). Meanwhile, India's Parliament discusses Manipur's budget amid opposition-BJP disputes (The Hindu, The Print), and analysts suggest India is well-positioned to outperform other Asian economies despite Trump's tariff threats (Times of India, Zee News).