Dawood Ahmed:
RAWALPINDI: Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Friday accused India of sponsoring terrorism in Balochistan while briefing on the Jaffar Express attack. Chief Minister Balochistan, Mir Sarfaraz Bugti was also present on the occasion.
Jaffar Express Attack: Key Details
The attack, which began on Tuesday afternoon, targeted the Quetta-Peshawar Jaffar Express carrying 440 passengers. Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) militants ambushed the train, opening fire and taking hostages. Security forces launched an extensive two-day operation, successfully eliminating all 33 terrorists by Wednesday evening. Despite 21 passengers and four Frontier Corps (FC) personnel losing their lives, all hostages were safely rescued in the final phase.
Terrorists Targeted Remote Location
Lt Gen Chaudhry highlighted that the attackers deliberately chose a difficult-to-access area with no mobile signals, complicating rescue efforts. He revealed that before the train ambush, terrorists first targeted an FC picket, martyring three soldiers.
“They split into multiple groups, securing strategic high-ground positions before using an improvised explosive device (IED) to disable the train,” he explained. He added that the assailants separated passengers into three groups, releasing some based on ethnic affiliations to create a misleading humanitarian narrative.
Indian, Afghan Weapons Used
According to Lt Gen Chaudhry, militants used both Indian and Afghan-origin weapons in this and previous attacks. He presented video evidence of Indian officials discussing efforts to destabilize Balochistan, asserting that the Jaffar Express attack was part of the same agenda.
“This was not an isolated incident; India remains the primary sponsor of terrorism in Balochistan,” he stated.
