Pakistan Links Train Hijacking to ‘Afghan Handlers’ and Indian Mastermind

Islamabad Claims Foreign Involvement as India and Afghanistan Reject Allegations

Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistan’s military on Friday accused India of masterminding the recent Jaffar Express train hijacking, while also alleging that the attackers had been communicating with their handlers in Afghanistan. The accusations came during a detailed press briefing by Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), and Balochistan’s Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti.

The incident, which unfolded in Balochistan’s rugged Bolan Pass on March 11, resulted in a 36-hour-long hostage situation, claiming the lives of 26 people, including security personnel, railway staff, and civilians. A total of 354 passengers were successfully rescued following an intense military operation codenamed Operation Green Bolan.

The attack was carried out by fighters of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist group that has conducted multiple attacks in the province. While the Pakistani military accused India of being the "main sponsor" of the attack, both New Delhi and Kabul swiftly rejected the allegations, calling them "baseless" and "irresponsible".

A Well-Planned Attack: How the Hijacking Unfolded

The Jaffar Express, a passenger train traveling from Quetta to Rawalpindi, was intercepted 32km (20 miles) from Sibbi city, just before entering a tunnel in the Bolan Pass region.

According to General Chaudhry, the BLA militants had strategically planned the ambush. They first attacked a paramilitary checkpoint, eliminating three soldiers, and then detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) on the tracks, forcing the train to stop.

Once the train was halted, the militants stormed inside, taking passengers hostage. Women and children were confined inside the train, while men were forced out and divided into groups based on ethnicity.

“They segregated people into smaller groups,” said Chaudhry, confirming reports from survivors and intelligence sources. The attackers then communicated through walkie-talkies with their handlers in Afghanistan, a claim that Pakistan says is backed by intercepted communications.

Operation Green Bolan: The Military’s Tactical Response

The Initial Response

Within four hours of the attack, the Pakistani military activated its reconnaissance and aerial units, including drones, to monitor the situation from a safe distance. Intelligence teams assessed the risk of suicide bombers among the hostages, which significantly influenced the response strategy.

By the night of March 11, the attackers released a group of women, children, and elderly passengers, who walked to the nearest train station 6km (four miles) away.

Sniper Strikes and Hostage Escape

On the morning of March 12, military snipers took out several BLA fighters, causing panic among the remaining militants. This enabled some hostages to escape, further weakening the attackers' control.

With the situation unfolding rapidly, the military decided to deploy the Zarrar Company, an elite unit of the Special Services Group (SSG), to lead the final assault.

The Final Assault

By midday on March 12, the Zarrar Company completed its situational assessment and devised a "surgical operation" to rescue the hostages.

Tracking BLA communications, intelligence revealed that suicide bombers were positioned near the hostages. The first priority was to eliminate them, ensuring that no civilian casualties occurred during the raid.

The military operation successfully neutralized all BLA fighters, with no hostages harmed in the final assault. Security sources confirmed that 33 BLA fighters were killed, but none were captured alive due to the high-risk nature of the operation.

“As a matter of policy, capturing insurgents is always a priority,” a security official told Al Jazeera. “But in hostage situations, precision and rapid action are key.”

Pakistan Blames India and Afghanistan – Strong Rejections Follow

Pakistan’s Allegations

During the press conference, General Chaudhry directly accused India of being the mastermind behind the attack. He also blamed Afghanistan for allowing the BLA to operate freely on its soil.

“The terrorists in this attack were in contact with their handlers and ring leaders in Afghanistan,” said Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Shafqat Ali Khan. “Intercepted communications confirm their links with Afghan-based elements.”

Khan also pointed out that Indian media extensively covered the attack, with some channels using AI-generated images or footage from old incidents, allegedly to distort facts.

India and Afghanistan Respond

Both India and Afghanistan strongly denied the allegations.

“The world knows where the epicenter of terrorism lies,” said Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. “Pakistan should stop blaming others for its internal security failures.”

Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government also dismissed the claims, urging Pakistan to focus on its internal security challenges instead of making "irresponsible accusations."

“There are no BLA fighters on Afghan soil,” said Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi. “Pakistan should avoid baseless claims.”

Regional Security Concerns & UN Report on Terrorist Links

A recent United Nations report suggested that the Afghan Taliban maintains links with the Pakistan Taliban (TTP), which has launched multiple attacks inside Pakistan.

The report also indicated that the BLA may have connections with both the TTP and ISKP (Islamic State Khorasan Province), raising concerns about a broader nexus of armed groups in the region.

The Jaffar Express hijacking underscores Pakistan’s ongoing struggle with separatist and militant attacks, as well as increasing tensions with neighboring India and Afghanistan.