Jaffar Express attack continuation of Indian-sponsored terrorism in Pakistan: DG ISPR

Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Friday termed Jaffar Express attack “continuation of Indian-sponsored terrorism” in Pakistan.

Addressing a media briefing flanked by Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, the DG ISPR said: “The latest attack in Balochistan and other terrorist incidents that took place in the past…we understand that the main sponsor of these [attacks] is your eastern neighbor.”

The outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), during Tuesday's attack on the Jaffar Express, blew up train tracks and held over 440 passengers hostage in a day-long standoff with security services in a remote mountain pass in Bolan district.

The military, after clearing the train and rescuing hostages, said it killed 33 attackers. Before the operation began, terrorists had martyred 26 passengers, while four security personnel were martyred during the operation.

In today's presser, Lt Gen Chaudhry confirmed that three FC soldiers embraced martyrdom when the terrorists attacked Frontier Corps picket before the train was ambushed.

Army, FC personnel among martyred hostages

Giving a breakdown of the casualties in the incident, the DG ISPR revealed that 26 martyred train passengers included 18 security personnel from the army and the FC, three officials from Pakistan Railways and other departments and five civilians.

He further said that the death toll from the terror attack could rise further as 37 out of the 354 passengers were injured.

The military spokesperson said that they had five operation causalities.

The DG ISPR said that the terrorists stopped the Jaffar Express via an IED blast in hilly terrain area where accessibility is difficult.

Meanwhile, a media warfare led by India media began in support of the terrorists, said the DG ISPR.

Lt Gen Chaudhry said the incident of Jaffar Express is continuity of the India policy to sponsor terrorism in Pakistan.

“The incident of Jaffar Express is continuity of the same policy, the same sponsorship from where is it was engineered and from it was being pushed..,” he remarked.

Slamming the Indian media, the DG ISPR said that fake videos were created by using artificial intelligence (AI) to spread malicious propaganda regarding Jaffar Express attack on the social media platforms.

“Indian media spread propaganda by using the fake videos to exaggerate the situation,” he said.

“India media tried to create a narrative [against Pakistan] by airing fake videos,” he said, adding that the Indian media also played terrorists’ old videos taken from the social media.

“A [terrorists] activity was underway in [Balochistan] and the other activity was being run by Indian media,” the military spokesperson said.

Briefing about the hijacking incident with the help of maps, Lt Gen Chaudhry said that the terrorists were in different groups, adding that one of the militant groups kept the women and children inside the train.

“Rest of the passengers were brought outside the train by terrorists and divided into groups,” he added.

In a bid to create a “false impression” of humanitarian values, the militants released a group of hostages in the evening, he added.

However, some of the hostages managed to escape when they got the chance, he revealed, adding that the terrorists also opened fire on the fleeing passengers.

The Lt Gen said that the terrorists were in contact with their handlers in Afghanistan.

“From the terrorists’ communication, we came to know that there were suicide bombers among them,” he added.

All terrorists were eliminated during a successful and complex operation with 36 hours, Lt Gen Chaudhry said adding that terrorists could not harm anyone during the final clearance operation.

'Terrorists commanders released from Afghan jails'

During his interaction with the journalists, Balochistan CM condemned the terrorist attack on the Jaffar Express and paid tribute to the security forces for releasing the hostages during a successful operation against the militants. He also thanked the international community for condemning the terror incident.

“We’re in an intelligence-driven war waged against Pakistan by Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and other hostile agencies through Afghanistan,” he added.

“Terrorists commanders were released from Afghan jails,” he revealed.

The chief minister said that there were divisions among the terrorist groups, however, RAW united them.

RAW brokered an alliance between TTP, BLA and other terrorist groups in the province, he added.

“Terrorists commanders were released from Afghan jails,” he said, adding that Afghan soil is being used to launch terror attacks inside Pakistani territory.

Lambasting PTI, Balochistan’s chief executive said that the terrorist elements were released during the tenure of former prime minister Imran Khan.

Moving on to the issue of missing persons, the chief minister said that the issue was being used as a propaganda tool.

“There are missing persons in the US, UK and other countries in the region,” he added.

CM Bugti said they were not disgruntled Baloch but "terrorists".

"Challenging intelligence environment”

Responding to a question, the DG ISPR said security agencies were working around the clock to find leads and preempt attacks.

“Balochistan presents a very challenging intelligence environment, he added.

“I don’t agree with the term 'intelligence failure' because there are thousands of intelligence successes you don’t hear about, the incidents that never happened because our intelligence detected and neutralised them,” said the ISPR spokesperson.

Use of Afghan soil for terror attacks in Pakistan

The head of the military's media wing further revealed that links to the terrorist incident have been traced back to Afghanistan. “We have credible intelligence confirming that the networks orchestrating these attacks are operating from across the border in Afghanistan,” he said.

The ISPR spokesperson disclosed that among those involved was a key figure who had previously served in the Afghan Army and is now actively engaged in terrorist activities against Pakistan.

“The entire chain of events points towards external involvement, specifically from elements based in Afghanistan,” he added.

He also lauded the bravery and professionalism of the forces who risked their lives to rescue innocent civilians from an imminent threat.

“We are thankful to Allah and salute our brave sons who, with their detailed planning, foresight, courage, and devotion, saved precious lives in an extremely dangerous and challenging environment,” he said.

National Action Plan

He recalled that after 2004, a national consensus was built against terrorism, which led to the formulation of a comprehensive National Action Plan (NAP). “All political parties and stakeholders sat together and developed this consensus, which became the foundation of the National Action Plan. The previous government further reviewed and revised it, resulting in a renewed commitment to counter-terrorism,” he said.

He explained that the revised NAP includes 14 critical points that comprehensively address the root causes and mechanisms of terrorism. “If we focus on implementing these 14 points in letter and spirit, I believe terrorism can be eradicated,” he said.

Responding to a question regarding the recent surge in terrorist activities, the ISPR DG said, “Without any hesitation, I would say that unless these 14 points are fully implemented, it will be challenging to achieve sustainable peace.”

Gen Chaudhry urged all stakeholders, including political parties, institutions, and the public, to play their role in implementing the NAP, stressing that national unity and consensus remain essential for overcoming the menace of terrorism.

When questioned about why there was a rise in terrorism, he said the pace of implementation of the NAP’s 14 points needed to be considered first. He added that law enforcement agencies conducted 59,775 intelligence-based operations, both major and minor, in 2024. So far in 2025, 11,654 IBOs have been carried out.

“This year, we are averaging 180 IBOs per day,” he added. Meanwhile, around 1,250 terrorists were “sent to hell” in 2024 and 2025, while 563 security personnel were martyred in the line of duty, he said.

Responding to a question regarding the rise in terrorist activities, the ISPR DG said, “Every moment, security forces are engaged in counter-terrorism efforts. Sacrifices are being made daily—soldiers, police officials, and even civilians are losing their lives to safeguard Pakistan’s future. Children are being orphaned because of this fight.”

The terror incident

On March 11, terrorists blew up the railway track and hurled rockets at the Jaffar Express when it was on its way to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province from Balochistan's capital of Quetta, carrying 440 people.

Security forces launched a rescue mission Tuesday afternoon.

"346 hostages were freed and over 30 terrorists were killed during the operation," an army official told AFP.

The assault was immediately claimed by the BLA, which released a video of an explosion on the track, followed by dozens of militants emerging from hiding places in the mountains.

Passengers who escaped or were released by the militants described panic as gunmen seized control of the train, sorting through identity cards, shooting soldiers but freeing some families.

"They asked us to come out of the train one by one. They separated women and asked them to leave. They also spared elders," said Muhammad Naveed, who managed to escape.

"They asked us to come outside, saying we will not be harmed. When around 185 people came outside, they chose people and shot them down."

Babar Masih, a 38-year-old Christian labourer, told AFP on Wednesday he and his family walked for hours through rugged mountains to reach a train that could take them to a makeshift hospital on a railway platform.

"Our women pleaded with them, and they spared us," he said.

"They told us to get out and not look back. As we ran, I noticed many others running alongside us."

Several passengers told AFP that gunmen demanded to see identity cards to confirm who was from outside the province, similar to a spate of recent attacks carried out by the BLA.

"They came and checked IDs and service cards and shot two soldiers in front of me and took the other four to... I don´t know where," said one passenger who asked not to be identified.

"Those who were Punjabis were taken away by the terrorists," he said.

— With additional input from APP/AFP/Reuters