India on Friday strongly rejected Pakistan’s foreign office claim alleging its possible involvement in the Jaffar Express train hijacking in Balochistan, reports Hindustan Times.
Ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "We strongly reject the baseless allegations made by Pakistan. The whole world knows where the epicenter of global terrorism lies. Pakistan should look inwards instead of pointing fingers and shifting the blame for its own internal problems and failures on to others."
Earlier on Thursday, Pakistan foreign office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan claimed that the rebels involved in the attack on the Jaffar Express were in contact with ring leaders in Afghanistan.
“Terrorists were in direct communications with Afghanistan-based planners throughout the incident,” he said, adding that Pakistan has repeatedly asked Afghanistan to deny the use of its soil for terrorist groups like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) for their attacks against Pakistan.
“We urge Afghanistan to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers, of this reprehensible act of terrorism accountable and cooperate with the government of Pakistan to bring all those who are concerned with this attack, including the real sponsors of terrorism to justice,” he said.
When asked about any change of policy because India was blamed in the past for any activity by the BLA, while this time finger was pointed towards Afghanistan, the spokesman said there was no change in the policy.
“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,” he responded.
To another question, he said that India has been trying to destabilise its neighbouring countries and running a global assassination campaign.
“In our region, unfortunately, we have many forces against peace who do not want to see Pakistan reap the dividends of its unprecedented and sincere efforts in counter-terrorism and in building a peaceful region.
"The latest terrorist attack against Jaffar Express near Sibi Balochistan was also orchestrated and directed by terrorist ring leaders operating from abroad,” he said.
Responding to another question, he said that the “Indian media is kind of glorifying the BLA which itself reflects the Indian policy, in some ways, if not officially”.
The MEA statement comes after Pakistan security forces claimed that they had eliminated all 33 Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) rebels who had hijacked the Jaffar Express, which was carrying more than 400 passengers.
The Pakistani Army has not released any photographs or video of the claimed “successful operation”. The rebel BLA claimed that the ISPR was covering up defeat.
Jeeyand Baloch, spokesperson for the BLA, insisted that the battle is still ongoing across multiple fronts. He accused the state of “abandoning its own soldiers” and leaving them "to die as hostages."
Released passengers who reached Quetta told Pakistani media that BLA fighters voluntarily freed women, children, and elderly individuals soon after seizing the train.
The BLA has also challenged Pakistani authorities to allow independent journalists and impartial observers into the conflict zone. The group contends the army`s reluctance to permit such access demonstrates its “defeat”.
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