The day after a successful rescue operation, the Foreign Office revealed on Thursday that the terrorists behind the Jaffar Express attack were in contact with their leaders based in Afghanistan.
Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan during his weekly press briefing stated that “India has played a role in sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan. In the case of the Jaffar Express attack, the perpetrators were in contact with their handlers and ring leaders in Afghanistan,”
According to FO spokesperson, the attackers maintained direct links with handlers in Afghanistan, underscoring concerns over cross-border terrorist activities. Khan also reiterated Pakistan’s longstanding calls for Afghanistan’s interim government to take action against groups like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which allegedly use Afghan soil as a safe haven for planning and executing such acts.
This statement follows a high-stakes rescue operation where security forces killed 33 BLA terrorist who had hijacked the Jaffar Express—a train carrying over 400 passengers. The terrorists killed 21 passengers before the military intervention began. The operation in the Bolan district’s Mushqaf area claimed the lives of four Frontier Corps (FC) personnel. However, armed forces successfully freed all remaining hostages.
Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, described the Jaffar Express attack as a turning point, stating that the perpetrators would face justice. “These terrorists have no connection to Islam, Pakistan, or Balochistan,” he remarked, further emphasizing the need for accountability.
Read more: Jaffar Express Operation ends with 33 terrorist killed, confirms DG ISPR
The ISPR confirmed that the attack was orchestrated by terrorist leaders based in Afghanistan, who maintained real-time communication with the perpetrators throughout the siege. This has led to renewed demands from Pakistan for greater cooperation from Afghanistan in countering terrorism.
Despite these challenges, Pakistan remains committed to fostering close and friendly ties with Afghanistan. Counterterrorism cooperation, the Foreign Office noted, remains a critical area for collaboration with both Afghanistan and the broader international community.
Pakistan’s insistence on shared evidence with Afghanistan underscores its effort to address these concerns diplomatically, even as it grapples with rising threats to its security.
