DG ISPR exposes Indian media propaganda over Jaffar Express hijacking

Quetta: In a crucial press conference, DG ISPR Lt. General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry addressed the recent hijacking of the Jaffar Express by terrorists from the Baloch Liberation Army, exposing the Indian media's fake narrative surrounding the incident.

He revealed that the Indian media had fueled false reports by using AI-generated images and videos, further amplifying misinformation. He added that old social media videos were also repurposed by Indian outlets to spread misleading news about the terrorist attack.

“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 neighbour,” the DG ISPR said.

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.

The terrorists behind the hijacking carefully selected a difficult terrain to launch their attack, displaying a high level of organization. They kept women and children inside the train while gathering the remaining passengers outside. Additionally, a sniper was strategically positioned on a nearby mountain to cover the operation.

The DG ISPR emphasized that the terrorists had no affiliation with Pakistan or Islam. He explained that the terrorists had stopped the train using an explosive blast at around 1 PM on March 11. The attackers were in direct contact with their handlers in Afghanistan and had previously targeted the nearest FC check post before launching the assault on the train.

During the crisis, a few hostages managed to escape when security forces initiated their engagement with the terrorists. Security forces proceeded with caution due to the presence of suicide bombers within the group. The SSG Zarrar Group commandos were the first to enter the train, executing a clearance operation with precision.

In a positive turn of events, no passengers lost their lives during the clearance operation, with all casualties having occurred before security forces intervened. However, three FC personnel embraced martyrdom during the operation. The terrorists were found to be scattered in various groups, with several suicide bombers among them. Additionally, the attackers were armed with foreign-made weapons, further indicating the international nature of their operation.

After the operation, security forces promptly provided first aid to the rescued hostages. The sanitization operation remains ongoing in the area where the terrorists had initially launched their attack.

The DG ISPR concluded his briefing by pointing out that the masterminds behind the attack, who coordinated the operation from Afghanistan, are positioned along Pakistan's northern border. He called for greater attention to the continuing threat posed by these terrorists and their external handlers.