The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called upon the Afghan Interim Government to deny the use of its soil to terrorist groups operating against Pakistan including the Baloch Liberation Army.
Speaking at a weekly press briefing on Thursday, MoFA Spokesman Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan said that Pakistan has been a victim of terrorism attacks ‘planned, sponsored and orchestrated by those detractors who are operating outside our borders’.
“The latest terror attack against Jaffar Express in Balochistan was also orchestrated and directed by terrorist ring leaders operating from abroad,” he said, adding that the terrorists were in direct communication with Afghanistan-based planners throughout the incident
He added that there are many detractors of peace in the region “who do not want to see Pakistan reap the dividends of its unprecedented and sincere efforts to encounter terrorism and build a peaceful region.”
He added that Pakistan has repeatedly asked the Interim Afghan Government to deny the use of its soil for terrorist groups like the BLA to attack 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 concerned in this attack including the real responsible terrorists to justice,” Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan said.
MoFA’s remarks came after security forces carried out an operation to recover hostages taken by terrorists from the Jaffar Express. A total of 33 terrorists were killed in the attack. However, 21 passengers and four soldiers lost their lives in the attack.
The attack was claimed by Baloch Liberation Army.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, rejected the MoFA statement as ‘baseless’.
“We categorically reject baseless allegations by Pakistani army spokesman linking the attack on a passenger train in Balochistan province with Afghanistan, & urge Pakistani side to focus on resolving their own security & internal problems instead of such irresponsible remarks,” Balkhi said in a post on X.