Jaffar express hostages rescued safely in high-risk operation

QUETTA: Pakistan forces successfully rescued Jaffar Express hostages unharmed in a challenging operation, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry announced on Friday, as reported by News.

While briefing the media on the Jaffar Express hijacking incident alongside Balochistan CM Sarfraz Bugti, DG ISPR Lt. General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry stated that an IED explosion targeted the Jaffar Express around 1 PM on March 11, bringing the train to a halt.

He stated that multiple groups of BLA attackers first assaulted a nearby FC post, martyring three soldiers. Subsequently, one group took women and children hostage inside the train, while others forced passengers to disembark and gathered them on the ground.

DG ISPR revealed that the Jaffar Express incident took place in a highly challenging and remote area, making the security operation more difficult.

The Pakistan Army’s spokesperson stated that a small group of terrorists stayed inside the train with a suicide bomber, while the rest fled to the mountains, taking hostages with them.

However, on the morning of March 12, the Pakistan Army and FC successfully surrounded the militants, according to DG ISPR. He stated that snipers from the elite Zarrar Company first targeted the suicide bombers, creating chaos that allowed some passengers to escape.

The commandos advanced from the engine side, systematically clearing each train compartment. They executed the operation with such precision that every hostage remained unharmed.

DG ISPR stated that terrorists had already killed the passengers who lost their lives before the military intervened. Armed with foreign-made weapons, the militants fired on escaping passengers, but security forces eliminated all attackers around the train.

The Pakistan Air Force played a crucial role in ensuring the success of the 36-hour-long operation, which took place in highly challenging and rugged terrain.

DG ISPR further stated that the Indian media distorted the incident by portraying the terrorist attack as a “heroic act” and spreading false narratives through manipulated content to mislead the international community.

“A coordinated information warfare campaign was also launched from India, where old and AI-generated videos were used for propaganda after the Jaffar Express 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.”

Addressing the joint press conference, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti thanked the international community for condemning the Jaffar Express incident and praised the brave forces for successfully carrying out an extremely difficult operation.