ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has hinted at India being behind the train hijacking in Balochistan this week, saying the handlers of the attackers were based in Afghanistan and were allegedly sponsored by India.
On Thursday, Pakistan foreign office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said Islamabad had evidence that calls related to the hijacking originated in Afghanistan. Asked by reporters whether Islamabad had shifted its stance from India to Afghanistan over involvement in terrorist attacks on Pakistan, he said, “There is no shift in our policy. And again, the facts have not changed. India is involved in sponsoring terrorism against Pakistan. What I was referring to was, in this particular incident, we have evidence of calls being traced to Afghanistan. This is what I said.”
Since the start of the attack on Tuesday Pakistan’s military, govt and media supporters have been blaming India without directly naming it in connection with the train assault, while keeping mum about grave security failures on the parts of the country’s military and intelligence authorities.
While India has yet to respond to Pakistan’s latest allegations, Afghanistan’s foreign affairs ministry issue a statement, saying: “We categorically reject baseless allegations by the Pakistani army spokesman linking the attack on a passenger train in Balochistan province with Afghanistan, & urge Pakistani side to focus on resolving their own security & internal problems instead of such irresponsible remarks.”
The Jaffar Express, carrying over 450 passengers, was seized by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group, on March 11, leading to a deadly confrontation that left 58 dead, including 21 passengers, four soldiers, and all 33 militants.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused India of fuelling unrest in Balochistan by backing groups like the BLA, a charge New Delhi dismisses as baseless. The latest claim comes as the BLA ramps up its campaign against the state, with the train hijacking marking a bold escalation in tactics.
Analysts see it as part of a broader wave of militancy straining Pakistan’s security apparatus. Some observers said the Balochistan insurgencyfuelled by local grievances over poverty and political exclusion, has persisted for decades, casting doubt on the need for external provocation. “The BLA doesn’t require foreign sponsors to act but blaming India fits a familiar narrative here,” said Islamabad-based journalist Nazrul Islam.
Relations between Pakistan and India, already frigid since the 2019 Pulwama attack, remain on edge, with little prospect of dialogue. For now, the Jaffar Express incident stands as a grim reminder of the region’s volatility, and the enduring rift between Islamabad and New Delhi.
