• “On what should we negotiate with terrorists?” asks CM Bugti.
• Says entire country referring to disillusioned leaders as terrorists.
• CM says allowing banned outfit to return reason for rise in terrorism.

Stressing the need for dialogue to address the issues of terrorism-hit Balochistan, Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti on Friday said that those up in arms against the state didn’t want to come to the negotiating table.

His remarks came days after the deadly attack on the Jaffar Express that resulted in the martyrdom of 26 train passengers, including 18 security personnel from the army and the FC. 33 terrorists were also killed by the security forces during the clearance operation in Balochistan’s Bolan district.

Speaking on Geo News’ programme “Aaj Shahzaib Khanzada Ke Saath”, CM Bugti said: “If Akhtar Mengal or Abdul Malik Baloch have a solution to the issue, let them present it — we are ready.”

He said that Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, in his tenure, initiated dialogue with the dissident Baloch leaders. He said that the former CM did not take him as home minister and the provincial assembly into confidence.

The chief minister was of the view that talks could be held with the political parties registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The CM asked: “On what should we negotiate with terrorists?”

Referring to their alleged involvement in subversive activities in the country, CM Bugti said that the entire country was referring to the disillusioned Baloch leaders as terrorists.

Lambasting the PTI for relocating thousands of militants to the country following the fall of Kabul in 2021, he said: “Allowing the banned outfit to return is also a reason for the rise in terrorism.”

It was one of the major reasons behind recent spike in terrorism in the country, he added.

He said that PPP always supported the reconciliation process to resolve the challenges being faced by Balochistan.

The chief minister reiterated that the Afghan soil was being used for terror attacks inside Pakistan.   

Earlier in the day, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry termed India main sponsor of terrorism in Balochistan, saying the latest attack on Jaffar Express is the continuation of the same policy.

Addressing a media briefing flanked by Balochistan CM Bugti, the DG ISPR said: “The latest attack in Balochistan and other terrorist incidents that took place in the past…we understand that the main sponsor of these [attacks] is your eastern neighbor.”

The outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), during Tuesday’s attack on the Jaffar Express, blew up train tracks and held over 440 passengers hostage in a day-long standoff with security services in a remote mountain pass in Bolan district.

The military, after clearing the train and rescuing hostages, said it killed 33 attackers. Before the operation began, terrorists had martyred 26 passengers, while four security personnel were martyred during the operation.

In today’s presser, Lt Gen Chaudhry confirmed that three FC soldiers embraced martyrdom when the terrorists attacked Frontier Corps picket before the train was ambushed.

Giving a breakdown of the casualties in the incident, the DG ISPR revealed that 26 martyred train passengers included 18 security personnel from the army and the FC, three officials from Pakistan Railways and other departments and five civilians.

He further said that the death toll from the terror attack could rise further as 37 out of the 354 passengers were injured.

The military spokesperson said that they had five operation casualties.

The DG ISPR said that the terrorists stopped the Jaffar Express via an IED blast in a hilly terrain area where accessibility is difficult.

Meanwhile, media warfare led by Indian media began in support of the terrorists, said the DG ISPR.

Lt Gen Chaudhry said the incident of Jaffar Express is a continuity of India’s policy to sponsor terrorism in Pakistan.

“The incident of Jaffar Express is continuity of the same policy, the same sponsorship from where is it was engineered and from it was being pushed..,” he remarked.

Slamming the Indian media, the DG ISPR said that fake videos were created by using artificial intelligence (AI) to spread malicious propaganda regarding the Jaffar Express attack on social media platforms.

“Indian media spread propaganda by using the fake videos to exaggerate the situation,” he said.

“India media tried to create a narrative [against Pakistan] by airing fake videos,” he said, adding that the Indian media also played terrorists’ old videos taken from social media.

“A [terrorists] activity was underway in [Balochistan] and the other activity was being run by Indian media,” the military spokesperson said.