- Jaffar Express attack planned from abroad, says FO.
- Terrorists linked to Afghanistan via intercepted calls.
- Pakistan prioritises ties with Afghanistan despite concerns.
ISLAMABAD: A day after the successful rescue operation, the Foreign Office said on Thursday that India was behind the deadly terrorist attack on the Jaffar Express, adding that it was orchestrated by the leadership of a terrorist organisation based abroad.
FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan, addressing his weekly briefing in Islamabad, said that the rescue operation for the Jaffar Express attack has been completed, and intelligence suggests that the terrorists were in contact with their associates in Afghanistan.
The statement comes after security forces eliminated all 33 Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) terrorists who had hijacked the Jaffar Express which was carrying more than 400 passengers — who were taken hostage.
The military has said that all hostages have been freed, but 21 passengers were martyred by the terrorists before the clearance operation had commenced. Also, four FC personnel were also martyred during the attack in the Mushqaf area of the Bolan district.
The Foreign Office spokesperson added that intercepted calls confirmed links between the attackers and Afghanistan. “The terrorists have safe havens in Afghanistan, and Pakistan has repeatedly urged the Afghan interim government to prevent groups like the BLA from using its soil for terrorism,” he said.
He also mentioned that Pakistan does not discuss diplomatic contacts on public forums but has consistently shared detailed evidence of such incidents with Afghanistan.
He emphasised that Pakistan’s primary focus remains on strengthening friendly and close ties with Afghanistan, while counterterrorism remains a key area of cooperation with international partners.
Following the operation, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that the Jaffer Express incident changed the rules of the game.
“Whoever did this will be hunted down and brought to justice,” he added. He added that the terrorists had nothing to do with Islam, Pakistan and Balochistan.
In a statement, the ISPR said that intelligence reports have unequivocally confirmed that the attack was orchestrated and directed by terrorist ring leaders operating from Afghanistan, who were in direct communication with the terrorists throughout the incident.