Sharif’s comments came during a joint press conference on Friday afternoon in Islamabad, where he was accompanied by the Chief Minister of Balochistan, Sardar Abdul Rehman Baloch. They provided details about the March 11 attack on the Jaffer Express, which was targeted by separatist militants from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).
The train, en route from Quetta to Peshawar, was attacked in the Dhadar region of the Bolan Pass, with over 400 passengers taken hostage. Security forces successfully rescued the hostages and neutralized all the assailants in a subsequent operation.
According to Sharif, the attack began when the train was halted by an improvised explosive device (IED) at approximately 1 PM in a mountainous area. Prior to this, militants had attacked a Frontier Corps (FC) checkpost, killing three soldiers.
“The BLA militants were positioned in multiple groups, including on the surrounding hills,” Sharif explained. “They took passengers hostage, separating women and children inside the train while escorting the remaining hostages to various locations outside.”
He further elaborated on the broader narrative surrounding the attack, accusing Indian media of leading a coordinated information warfare campaign in support of the BLA. Sharif claimed that fake AI-generated images and old videos were being circulated, creating a false narrative and spreading propaganda about the attack.
The military official also revealed that on the evening of March 11, a group of hostages was released under the pretext of ethnicity, further fueling tensions and division.
Sharif described the rescue operation that ensued, detailing how security forces surrounded the area on March 12, engaging in a firefight with the militants. Some hostages were able to escape during the exchange. He emphasized that, remarkably, not a single hostage was killed during the operation, which he hailed as one of the most successful counter-terrorism operations in recent years.
“This was the most successful hostage rescue operation in global history, considering the terrain and presence of suicide bombers in the area,” Sharif remarked. “Despite the challenges, our forces executed the mission with precision and minimal casualties.”
He also linked the attack to ongoing regional instability, specifically pointing to Afghanistan as a source of support for terrorist activities in Pakistan. Sharif noted that many of the assailants were linked to Afghan-trained militants, suggesting that the masterminds behind such attacks were based near Pakistan’s northern border.
Sharif further claimed that terrorist operations in the region were backed by Afghanistan, especially after the withdrawal of foreign forces, which left behind equipment such as night-vision devices that are now in the hands of militants. He also highlighted the growing issue of narcotics and smuggling, with Afghanistan’s involvement facilitating these illegal activities.
He accused India of being the primary sponsor of the violence in Balochistan, linking the ongoing unrest to the influence of Indian intelligence services.
During the press conference, the statement of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, captured in Balochistan, was also shared as evidence of India’s involvement in the region’s destabilization.
In response to the attack, Balochistan’s Chief Minister, Sardar Abdul Rehman Baloch, expressed his gratitude to the international community for condemning the assault on the train.
He also strongly denounced the BLA, labeling them as terrorists and distancing the group from the Baloch people. “These individuals have no connection to the Baloch community,” Baloch said. “This is not about Baloch identity or rights; it is about terrorism, and they will be treated as such.”
He further criticized the BLA’s claims of being “liberal,” pointing out that their “grandmother” was India’s intelligence agency, RAW.
No doubt atacked was linked to India: FO
A day after the operation, the Foreign Office said that there was no doubt the attack was linked to Afghanistan.
Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan told the media that the Afghan soil had been used against Pakistan and the latest terrorist attack against Jaffar Express near Sibi in Balochistan was also orchestrated and directed by terrorist ring leaders operating from abroad.
“Terrorists were in direct communications with Afghanistan-based planners throughout the incident,” he said. The Foreign Office statement came after the army also officially confirmed the Afghan link to the brazen train hijacking.
The spokesperson said Pakistan had repeatedly asked the interim Afghan government to deny the use of its soil for terrorist groups like BLA for their attacks against Pakistan.