As authorities indulge in stock-taking of terror fissures in the backdrop of Jaffar Express hijacking, a convenient finger has been pointed at the neighbourhood. It is no secret that Afghanistan and India are in cahoots, and have a vested agenda to nurse by bleeding and destabilising Pakistan. Thus, the military spokesperson in the Friday's presser was on the mark as he rightly traced the epicentre of terrorism from across the western frontiers. This open-and-shut complicity is in need of being exposed effectively by Islamabad at diplomatic forums, leading to singling out of the terror sponsoring regimes by the world community.
The daredevil train hijacking episode manifested a broader agenda to not only sow the seeds of dissent among Pakistanis, but also to purport the BLA outfit as a viable entity. In doing so the dispensation in Kabul was at its beck and call, as is evident from the handlers making use of satellite phones and disseminating AI-concocted video clips to spread disinformation. But the fact that Pakistan's security forces were able to rescue 354 passengers by exterminating dozens of terrorists is a feather in its cap in adversity.
Despite a spike in terror during the last many years, it is notable that more than 59,775 and 11,654 IBOs have been conducted in 2024 and 2025, respectively. This vigil needs to be upped and a substantial counterterrorism policy evolved by stringently implementing NAP in all totality. There is no excuse to lag behind, and no time left to remorse and look back.
The train hijacking and the ensuing standoff, nonetheless, solicits some valid criticism and introspection. It should be admitted that it was an intelligence failure, as the magnitude of operation by the BLA was well-choreographed. It's time to net the fox in the woods, and intelligence input made foolproof. Similarly, Islamabad should ponder as to why its dossiers and proofs on the involvement of extra-territorial elements do not get an attentive ear in world capitals and at the UN. This diplomatic apathy warrants a revisit.
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