Balochistan train hijack: Pakistan alleges India's involvement amid new political twist

The violent hijacking of Jaffer Express in Pakistan's Balochistan province continues to unravel with new disclosures. The Shehbaz Sharif government had initially held Afghanistan responsible for the attack, but now it has made a volte-face, accusing India of having a hand in the deadly crime.

The hijack, which took place on March 11, involved Baloch insurgents hijacking the train that had 450 passengers aboard. The assault resulted in the deaths of 58 people, 37 of them being Pakistani troops. Among the victims were 21 innocent passengers who were caught in the crossfire.

Terrifying ordeal of the hijack

Jaffer Express, running between Quetta and Peshawar, was attacked when Baloch terrorists detonated bombs on the railroad track before viciously attacking the train. The attackers indiscriminately targeted passengers as well as security personnel, and over 50 people lost their lives. However, the conflicting reports reveal that the number of dead is much more than this.

Having trouble in subduing the rising rebellion, Shehbaz Sharif's government tried to politicize the catastrophe. To start with, they accused Afghanistan, but the fresh charge accuses India. Despite such charges, though, the government of Pakistan has not come up with any substantive evidence to support its claims. This was uttered barely a few minutes after the Pakistani military made a statement whereby it had asserted that the operation to suppress the hijacking had been successfully completed.

Increase in terrorism in Pakistan

Pakistan saw a staggering 45% rise in terrorism-related deaths in 2024, according to the Global Terrorism Index 2025 report. Deaths rose from 748 in 2023 to 1,081 in 2024, one of the biggest rises globally. This rise has moved Pakistan from the fourth to the second most terror-hit country.

The report further noted that Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attacks were at an all-time record high in 2024. The number of killings caused by TTP was the highest since 2011, signaling the growing security crisis in the region.

Most affected regions

The Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces along the Afghanistan border have suffered the worst in terrorism. Over 96% of terrorist incidents and deaths in Pakistan in 2024 alone were accounted for in the two provinces. The biggest attack occurred on March 6 in Bannu when two bomb-packed cars rammed into the boundary wall of a military garrison, killing nine and injuring 16. The Pakistani army retaliated by killing at least six terrorists in retaliation.