The Pakistan Mission to the United Nations said the country had “credible evidence” proving that the Jaffer Express attack was “externally sponsored by its regional adversaries”, according to a press release.
The Jaffar Express train was hijacked on March 11 when Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) terrorists ambushed the Peshawar-bound train carrying 440 passengers, opening fire and taking hostages. Security forces launched a two-day operation, concluding on March 12. Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that all 33 terrorists were neutralised, but no hostages were harmed in the final rescue phase.
During the launch of the “Victims of Terrorism Association Network” by the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism at the UN headquarters in New York, Jawad Ajmal, a counsellor at the Pakistan Mission, expressed concern at the loss of tourist lives int he recent Pahalgam attack, and extended “heartfelt condolences to the near ones of the deceased and wish the injured a speedy recovery.”
According to the press release, Ajmal said that Pakistan possessed “credible evidence establishing that the attack on the Jaffer Express passenger train — in which at least 30 innocent Pakistani nationals were killed and dozens taken hostage — was externally sponsored by its regional adversaries.”
He noted that Pakistan joined fellow UN Security Council members in condemning the attack.The counsellor further said that Pakistan had been one of the worst victims of terrorism for over two decades. With the loss of more than 80,000 lives and thousands more injured, Pakistan remains inspired by the resilience and strength of its nation.
“We pay tribute to the families of the martyrs from our law enforcement agencies and armed forces, who have made countless sacrifices to defend our motherland,” he added.“The international community had a responsibility to support survivors of brutal terrorist attacks and the families of victims whose lives were permanently altered by such tragedies.”
He underscored the need for collective action to prevent future attacks, calling for holding terrorists and their handlers accountable and adopting a “uniform, victim-centric approach”.
“If we are to chart a way forward for victims, we must look beyond narrow political interests and geopolitical agendas. We must examine why, despite global strategies, terrorism threats continue to proliferate and give rise to an ever-increasing number of victims,” he stated.
