The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday accused India of being behind the deadly terrorist attack on the Jaffar Express in Balochistan.
During his weekly briefing in Islamabad, FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan confirmed that the rescue operation following the attack had been completed.
He further disclosed that intelligence reports suggested the terrorists were in contact with their accomplices in Afghanistan during the assault.
His statement followed a two-day security operation aimed at eliminating the militants who had hijacked the train.
The attack unfolded on Tuesday when separatist militants ambushed the Jaffar Express, which was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar. The assailants bombed the railway track and launched rocket attacks on the train.
In his remarks, the FO spokesperson reiterated Pakistan’s ongoing concerns about militant groups using Afghan soil for cross-border attacks.
“We have repeatedly asked the Afghan interim government to prevent organisations like the BLA from operating within its borders,” Khan stated.
Pakistan has previously shared evidence with Afghan authorities regarding militant hideouts. While tensions between the two nations persist, Islamabad continues to emphasize the importance of counterterrorism cooperation.
Following the military operation, Lt-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the chief military spokesperson, disclosed that 21 hostages lost their lives during the tense standoff.
However, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) director general asserted that no civilians were harmed in the final rescue effort by the armed forces.
“Today we freed a large number of people, including women and children … The final operation was carried out with great care,” he stated, emphasizing that security forces cleared the train “bogey to bogey.”
According to the DG ISPR, the attack occurred in a remote and challenging terrain. He noted that the Army, Air Force, and Frontier Corps (FC) launched an immediate rescue mission. “Today, SSG [Special Service Group] personnel also participated,” he added.
The ISPR also revealed that the attackers included suicide bombers. “Tragically, during the stage of this intense standoff, the terrorists took the lives of 21 innocent hostages, before the commencement of the clearance operation,” the statement read.
“Additionally, 4 brave security forces’ soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice and embraced shahadat. Their selfless actions saved countless lives and prevented further catastrophe,” the ISPR added.