- Wania Tahir, Lecturer, Girls Postgraduate College Quetta Cantt
“No one will be allowed to turn innocent people of Pakistan into victims of their cruelty, whether in the streets, trains, buses, or markets, due to their misguided ideology,” stated the DG ISPR.
“Those responsible for such acts will be relentlessly pursued and held accountable. I also want to make it clear that the Jaffar Express incident marks a turning point and alters the dynamics of the situation,” he emphasized.
The assault on the Jaffar Express by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) was unequivocally an act of terrorism. There’s simply no other way to characterize the incident.
Although the BLA has previously targeted the railways, particularly Jaffar Express, the magnitude of this attack is unprecedented. There are several reasons why this blatant attack is concerning. Since train hijacks are uncommon and call for extensive preparation and resources, the BLA’s capacity to carry out such complicated operation implies that its strength and competence have been increasing. Furthermore, the type of assistance it receives appears to have increased. In recent years, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been the main targets of terrorism. However, the province has difficulties because to economic exploitation, human rights abuses, and political alienation.
A closer look at the statistics reveals that out of the 55 civilians who died in terrorist attacks across the country in February, 35—almost two-thirds—were killed by Baloch insurgents, mostly in attacks motivated by ethnic tensions. On February 18, seven people from Punjab were shot dead in Barkhan district, Balochistan. Earlier, on February 14, a roadside explosion in Harnai district, Balochistan, claimed the lives of 11 coalmine workers from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Jaffar Express Operation Successfully Completed, All Passengers Rescued, Security forces successfully conducted an operation against terrorists, rescuing all passengers safely. According to security sources, 33 terrorists involved in the terrorist attack were killed. Security sources displayed utmost skill and caution during the clearance operation to save innocent lives. The terrorists included suicide bombers who used innocent children and women as human shields. “Rescued passengers being safely transferred to a secure location by Pakistan Army soldiers after the clearance operation.” Pakistan Army soldiers demonstrated their expertise by not allowing a single suicide bomber to detonate. Security sources stated that the Pakistan Army has once again proven its capability to respond effectively to any attack in the war against terrorism.