ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday formally registered a strong protest with the Afghan interim government over the recent hijacking of the Jaffar Express, which Islamabad alleges was orchestrated from Afghan soil.
A senior Afghan diplomat was summoned to the Foreign Office (FO), where officials conveyed Pakistan’s deep concerns regarding the March 11 attack in Balochistan’s Sibi district. No formal statement was issued by the FO at the time of reporting.
On March 11, armed militants hijacked the Jaffar Express near the Bolan Pass, taking more than 400 passengers hostage for nearly 30 hours. The train was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar when it came under attack.
In a high-stakes rescue mission, Pakistan’s security forces—assisted by the Pakistan Air Force and elite army commandos—freed over 350 passengers. However, officials confirmed that 26 passengers were killed before the operation began. During the offensive, all 33 attackers were neutralised.
Following the incident, Pakistani authorities claimed to have found clear evidence that the militants were in direct contact with their handlers in Afghanistan throughout the siege. Islamabad has urged the Taliban administration to take concrete steps to bring the perpetrators to justice.
In Monday’s meeting, Pakistani officials reiterated their demand for Kabul to prevent Afghan soil from being used to launch cross-border terrorist attacks.
The Afghan Taliban dismissed the accusations, maintaining that Baloch insurgent groups are not operating from Afghanistan and denying any involvement in the assault.
However, a recent report by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) monitoring team suggested close ties between the Afghanistan-based banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which claimed responsibility for the train hijacking.
Sources further disclosed that Pakistani authorities also raised the issue of Afghan nationals allegedly involved in a separate terrorist attack on the Bannu Cantonment.
