Pak PM Blames Security Challenges On Past Support For Taliban
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has blamed the country’s ongoing security challenges on past alignment and support by some Pakistani officials for the Afghan Taliban.
He made these remarks three days after the hostage crisis on the Jaffar Express train, during a meeting with officials in Balochistan.
According to Pakistani news network Aaj News, Sharif criticised those seeking to maintain ties with the Taliban, stating that their actions had contributed to the country’s security crisis. He said, “We are facing these challenges today because some people aligned themselves with the Taliban.”
Without naming individuals, he accused them of releasing thousands of militants from prison. Sharif also warned of “enemies disguised as friends” who, he claimed, are working against Pakistan’s interests.
He indirectly accused India, Pakistan’s eastern neighbour, of leading a negative propaganda campaign against the country. “The nation gave 80,000 lives to defeat terrorism. Our forces had crushed this menace. So why is it rising again?” he questioned.
During the meeting, held on Thursday in Quetta, political leaders, military officials, and representatives of Pakistani parties discussed the security situation.
On Tuesday, dozens of Baloch separatist militants bombed a railway track, halting the Jaffar Express train carrying over 400 passengers. The attack occurred in a remote mountainous region near the Afghanistan-Iran border. The militants took dozens of passengers hostage.
On Wednesday, the Pakistan Army announced that its snipers had eliminated suicide bombers among the attackers. Military officials reported that 33 Baloch militants were killed in the operation and that no hostages were harmed. However, the army confirmed that 21 passengers had been executed by the militants before security forces intervened.
Earlier reports from Afghanistan International, based on Pakistani security sources, indicated that intercepted communications between the attackers and their commanders suggested links to networks in Afghanistan, India, and Europe.
Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, spokesperson for the Pakistan Army, claimed that the attack was planned and coordinated by Baloch separatists based in Afghanistan. He alleged that the attackers used satellite phones to communicate with their commanders during the incident.
Three days after the attack, the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry denied any ties to the Baloch Liberation Army. In a statement, the ministry dismissed Pakistan’s claims as “baseless” and insisted that no Baloch separatists operate from Afghan territory.
The Taliban urged Pakistan to focus on addressing its internal security issues rather than making “irresponsible” allegations.
