Defence Minister Criticizes PTI Over Response to Jaffar Express Hijacking
Key Points:
- Train Hijacking Incident: On Tuesday, Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) terrorists hijacked the Jaffar Express, traveling from Quetta to Peshawar, taking 440 passengers hostage. A two-day security operation resulted in the elimination of 33 terrorists. The attack claimed 21 passenger lives and four Frontier Corps personnel, though no hostages were harmed in the final phase.
- Khawaja Asif’s Criticism of PTI: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif condemned PTI for politicizing the tragedy and accused its social media team of misrepresenting the crisis. He criticized PTI’s past policies, particularly the repatriation of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters.
- Government and NA Response: The National Assembly passed a resolution reaffirming its commitment to combating terrorism, commending security forces for their efforts, and urging national unity.
- Bilawal Bhutto’s Remarks: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari linked the resurgence of terrorism to past policy failures, referencing the 2007 assassination of Benazir Bhutto and the 2014 Army Public School attack. He lamented that Pakistan’s hard-fought gains against terrorism were being undone due to political discord.
The hijacking of Jaffar Express has once again underscored Pakistan’s vulnerability to terrorism. While the security forces successfully neutralized the attackers, the political fallout has exposed deep divisions. Instead of fostering unity, parties continue to engage in blame games, further complicating efforts to ensure national security. Moving forward, a nonpartisan approach and strong governance will be crucial in preventing such attacks and stabilizing the country.
