Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif, has said that India is the principal sponsor of terrorism in Balochistan after the recent attack on the Jaffar Express. He also pointed out Indian media for spreading misleading AI-generated videos and content that misrepresented the actions of the terrorists involved in the attack.
DG ISPR made these remarks during a joint press conference in Islamabad on Friday, alongside Balochistan’s Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti. They provided details about the March 11 attack on the Jaffar Express, which was carried out by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) terrorists.
The attack took place when the train, traveling from Quetta to Peshawar, was ambushed in the Dhadar region of the Bolan Pass. More than 400 passengers were taken hostage, but Pakistani security forces managed to rescue the hostages and neutralize all the assailants in a subsequent operation.
According to DG ISPR, the attack began when the train was halted by an improvised explosive device (IED) around 1 p.m. in a mountainous area. Before this, terrorist had attacked a Frontier Corps (FC) check post, killing three FC soldiers. The militants were positioned in various locations, including nearby hills, and took the passengers hostage, separating women and children inside the train while escorting the remaining hostages to different locations outside.
He described the subsequent rescue operation, highlighting how security forces surrounded the militants’ positions on March 12 and engaged in a firefight. Some hostages managed to escape during the operation. Sharif praised the operation, emphasizing that not a single hostage was killed, calling it one of the most successful counter-terrorism operations in recent history.
“This operation was the most successful hostage rescue operation in global history, considering the challenging terrain and the presence of suicide bombers in the area,” Sharif said. “Despite these obstacles, our forces executed the mission with precision and minimal casualties.”
Sharif also linked the attack to broader regional instability, particularly pointing to Afghanistan as a base of support for terrorist activities targeting Pakistan. He noted that many of the militants involved were connected to Afghan-trained insurgents, with the masterminds of these attacks believed to be located near Pakistan’s northern border.
Following the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan, the region has become a haven for militants who now possess sophisticated equipment, including night-vision devices, left behind by departing forces. He also highlighted the growing problem of narcotics and smuggling, with Afghanistan’s role in facilitating these illegal activities.
He called out India of backing the unrest in Balochistan, Sharif called the Jaffar Express attack part of India’s broader “terrorist mentality.” He stated, “The main sponsor of terrorism in Balochistan, as in previous incidents, is our eastern neighbor. The Jaffar Express attack is just a continuation of India’s terrorist agenda.”
Sharif also call out Indian media of playing a significant role in spreading misinformation to support the BLA. “As soon as the terrorists attacked the train, Indian media began reporting in favor of the assailants,” he said. “Indian outlets used AI-generated footage to glorify this event, airing old videos from social media and broadcasting content prepared by the terrorist group.”
The ISPR chief presented evidence during the briefing, including slides and videos, to substantiate the claims of misinformation and disinformation campaigns led by Indian media.
Furthermore, the press conference included a reference to Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was captured in Balochistan and whose statements were cited as evidence of India’s involvement in destabilizing the region.
He also pointed out an important detail: in the evening, a group of hostages was released by the terrorists, and an attempt was made to give the impression that it was the terrorists themselves who had freed them. He clarified that the terrorists were monitored, engaged, and then skillfully taken down.
DG ISPR mentioned that a total of 33 terrorists were killed in the forces’ operation, while the terrorists’ gunfire martyred 26 individuals. The forces successfully rescued 354 hostages, 37 of whom were injured. Not a single hostage was killed during the forces’ operation.
DG ISPR further revealed that of the 26 martyrs, 18 were from the Army and FC. He also added that the terrorists did not take any passenger hostage to move with them.
Regarding the difference between the number of martyrs, rescued hostages, and the total number of passengers, the Chief Minister of Balochistan explained that 425 tickets had been issued for the train.
