ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday criticized the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for allegedly politicizing the Jaffar Express hijacking in Balochistan and spreading misleading narratives on social media.
The incident, which took place on Tuesday, saw the Jaffar Express—traveling from Quetta to Peshawar with 440 passengers—attacked by Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) terrorists. Security forces launched a two-day operation to rescue hostages and neutralize the threat.
On Wednesday, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry confirmed that the operation had successfully concluded, with all 33 terrorists eliminated. He reported that 21 passengers and four Frontier Corps personnel lost their lives, but no hostages were harmed during the final phase.
Asif Condemns PTI’s Response
In a fiery speech spanning over 30 minutes, Asif accused PTI of exploiting the tragedy for political gain rather than showing solidarity with the nation.
“The entire world stands with Pakistan except PTI,” Asif remarked. He criticized PTI’s social media team for allegedly distorting facts and attacking the state instead of condemning terrorism.
A day earlier, PTI leader and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, had harshly criticized the government’s handling of the attack. The government remained largely silent in parliament during the rescue operation, drawing further scrutiny.
Taking a swipe at Ayub, Asif said, “Those who mock us over Form-47 belong to families that imposed three martial laws and first violated Pakistan’s Constitution.” He accused past dictators of disenfranchising the people and handing power to a select few.
TTP Repatriation & PTI’s Past Mistakes
Asif also condemned PTI’s role in relocating fighters from the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) back into the country during its tenure.
“For four years, PTI leaders, along with Gen Bajwa and Gen Faiz, were briefed on why bringing back these militants was a mistake,” he stated.
He stressed that Pakistan could only move forward if politicians collectively acknowledged past mistakes spanning over seven decades.
PTI’s Social Media Criticism
As the military operation was underway, PTI’s official accounts and its founder, Imran Khan (through a managed X account), posted messages questioning the intelligence agencies’ priorities.
“If agencies remain busy with political engineering and dismantling PTI, who will protect the borders?” Khan’s account posted. PTI’s official X account also accused the government of negligence in handling terrorism.
Asif, however, praised Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti for “standing firm against terrorists” and accused PTI of cowardice, claiming they feared speaking out against extremists.
Infighting & Power Struggles in PTI
Referring to Sher Afzal Marwat’s recent expulsion from PTI, Asif ridiculed the party’s internal divisions, claiming they were too fragmented to even manage their own members, let alone lead a country.
“They’re always prepared to attack Islamabad for power but refuse to fight for peace,” he remarked.
He also accused PTI of being hypocritical—once benefiting from military support under Gen Bajwa but now unwilling to acknowledge the institution’s fight against terrorism.
NA Passes Resolution Against Terrorism
The National Assembly (NA) passed a resolution condemning the Jaffar Express hijacking and vowing to combat terrorism in all forms. The resolution, tabled by Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to eliminating extremism and ensuring that terrorists face the full force of the law.
It also honored the security forces for their sacrifices in protecting the nation and called for unity among citizens to reject extremism.
Bilawal Warns of Rising Terrorism
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also spoke on the floor, expressing concern over the resurgence of terrorism.
“We commend our security forces for rescuing hostages, but we must recognize that terrorism is on the rise again,” he said.
Bilawal recalled the dark history of terrorism in Pakistan, including his mother Benazir Bhutto’s assassination and the 2014 Army Public School (APS) attack. He urged political leaders to set aside differences and work collectively, as they did when formulating the National Action Plan.
“We fought terrorism together and broke its backbone, but unfortunately, we are once again facing the flames of extremism,” Bilawal lamented.
He warned that terrorists were exploiting political instability and divisions in the country, emphasizing the need for national unity to defeat the threat once again.
