Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday assailed the PTI for “politicising” the recent hijacking of the Jaffar Express train in Balochistan and misinterpreting the situation on social media.

The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon when the train, travelling from Quetta to Peshawar and carrying 440 passengers, was ambushed by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) terrorists. They opened fire on the train and held the passengers hostage, prompting the security forces to initiate an operation that lasted two days.

On Wednesday evening, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry confirmed that the operation had been concluded, with 33 terrorists present at the site of the attack neutralised. The ISPR chief also confirmed that 21 passengers and four Frontier Corps personnel lost their lives in the hijacking, but no hostages were harmed during the final rescue phase.

During his speech today, which went on for over half an hour, Asif noted that the “entire world stood with Pakistan” except the PTI.

“I have told you how they are interpreting the Jaffar Express [incident]. They are making it a topic of politics when it is a moment of concern for the 250 million people of Pakistan,” Asif said.

“What’s more upsetting is the way PTI’s social media interpreted the situation,” he said.

A day ago — when the rescue operation was still underway — the coalition government, including Asif, maintained an uncanny silence in the NA over the hijacking, despite scathing criticism from Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan, who slammed the handling of the attack that shook the nation.

Taking a jibe at Omar Ayub, who is the grandson of former dictator Gen Ayub Khan, Asif said, “Those people mocked us on Form-47 who have had three martial laws, whose elders abrogated the Constitution of Pakistan for the first time.”

He criticised the former dictators for “stealing the right to vote” from the people and handing it to a select few.

“When they (PTI leaders) speak, it worries me because it seems they have deleted the past from their memories,” he added.

Asif then slammed the former PTI-led government’s decision to relocate thousands of fighters from the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to the country.

“During the four years of their tenure, PTI leaders, as well as Gen Bajwa and Gen Faiz, were given a briefing that bringing these terrorists back and rehabilitating them would be a positive move for Pakistan,” he noted.

“Until we, as politicians, do not acknowledge the mistakes of the past 76-77 years as a nation and community, we would not be able to proceed ahead.”

The minister claimed that the PTI had “gathered everyone and assigned them tasks, instructing workers to utter abusive words on social media.”

As the operation was underway, PTI officials resorted to pointing out the “shortcomings” of the government and the establishment.

The X account of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan, which he doesn’t operate himself, made a post saying, “The primary role of intelligence agencies is to protect borders and counter terrorism. If they remain occupied with political engineering and attempting to dismantle Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), then who will safeguard the borders?”

The official X account of PTI also made several posts accusing the government of negligence.

“My brothers in Parachinar have been holding a banner for the last four months. Has there been peace there?” Asif asked, referring to the violence in the Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the PTI is in power.

Lauding Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti for “standing tall before the terrorists”, the PML-N leader said the PTI was “scared to even make a statement against terrorists”.

“I admit that my party, the people, and myself were complicit,” the minister said, recalling the martial law declared in the 1980s.

“They need to look at their past. I am looking at mine and asking for forgiveness,” he added.

As the opposition protested loudly in response to Asif’s speech, the minister highlighted that the PTI lawmakers had caused ruckus in presidential and budget speeches in the NA, so they should “show some patience”.

“They couldn’t even take care of one Sher Afzal Marwat [because] he details their reality and shows their true face. There are as many factions [within the PTI] as well as leaders,” Asif quipped, referring to Marwat’s recent expulsion from the party.

“They’re always ready to attack Islamabad. They can fight the war for power but refuse to fight a war for the country’s peace,” the PML-N lawmaker further said.

Continuing his tirade against the PTI, Asif criticised the party for not acknowledging the country’s economic recovery and the armed forces’ fight against terrorism.

“You (PTI) were under Gen Bajwa’s patronage, but today, you’re not ready to defend the same institution,” the defence minister said.

The minister then held up printouts of various social media posts by the PTI. He quoted one such “official” post as saying: “The terrorists in Balochistan had released the women taken hostage 12 hours ago.”

“In yesterday’s tweets, and otherwise as well, they target the armed forces. When the armed forces impose martial law, then they stand with them,” Asif said, recalling that Imran supported Pervez Musharraf in his 2002 referendum.

At that time, Imran had said his party was supporting the presidential referendum “out of compulsion because the PTI did not want to see the return of ‘corrupt Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif’ in the political arena.”

“They (the PTI) are with the BLA,” the defence minister alleged.

He assailed the PTI for having “selective amnesia” where it purposefully forgot incidents during its rule.

“The Balochistan crisis began during Ayub Khan’s time. There was an agreement with the Baloch sardars, under which they were called back from the mountains and given amnesty, [but] Ayub Khan had them hanged,” Asif said.

“This wound has been there since the 1960s. Peace is secured, but then again, the wound is picked at, and it begins to bleed,” the minister lamented.

Recalling the successful completion of the clearance operation, the minister said, “God forbid, there could have been a lot of casualties, but the security forces eliminated the terrorists.

“Our war against terrorism is a big milestone that the entire country can be proud of. If the entire nation stands proud like this with our armed forces, then there is no doubt we will be successful in our war [against terrorism],” the minister asserted.

Detailing the attack, Asif said the “passengers were separated based on the provinces they belonged to”, referring to multiple incidents in Balochistan over the past few years where people hailing from Punjab were targeted.

NA pledges not to allow any terrorist activity to go unchecked

The NA passed a resolution today, wherein it condemned the hijacking and “all acts of terrorism that endanger the lives of citizens”, as well as pledged “not to allow any terrorist activity to go unchecked in any part of the country”.

The resolution, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, was tabled by Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry.

The lower house of the parliament resolved to take “every possible measure to eliminate terrorism from every corner of our nation”.

It affirmed that “no group, no individual, and no ideology that seeks to undermine our nation’s peace, prosperity, and sovereignty will be allowed to spread fear, hatred, or violence within the territorial limits of the country”.

The NA further committed to “working relentlessly to root out terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, ensuring that those who attempt to destabilise the country face the full force of the law”.

The lawmakers’ resolution expressed “deepest respect and gratitude to the brave men and women who have sacrificed their lives in this tragic incident, recognising their courage, sacrifice, and patriotism”.

It also lauded the Pakistan Army, the Pakistan Air Force, the Frontier Corps and other law enforcement agencies for their “unwavering commitment, bravery, and sacrifices in safeguarding the lives of citizens and protecting the integrity of Pakistan”.

“Their heroic efforts in neutralising the terrorists involved in this incident reflect the resolve and readiness of our security forces to defend our nation at all costs,” the NA declared.

Lastly, the House called upon the people of Pakistan — “regardless of ethnicity, religion, or background — to unite in the fight against terrorism and to reject extremism in all its forms, ensuring the peace, safety, and prosperity of our nation for future generations”.

Fire of terrorism burning again: Bilawal

PPP chief Bilawal also took the stage to condemn the train hijacking and highlight the issue of rising terrorism across the country.

“We also join the House in paying tribute to the brave security forces who took on the terrorists and managed to save a substantial number of kidnapped victims,” he added.

“The issue of terrorism in Pakistan is not new. The evolution of terrorism, the PPP, and in extension me personally, are connected,” the Bhutto scion said.

He noted that terrorism in each province had its “own context” and that he had been witnessing such incidents.

Bilawal recalled there had been abduction attempts from the PM House when his mother, late Benazir Bhutto, was the premier, following which he was moved to London for protection.

Referring to Benazir’s 2007 assassination, Bilawal said Benazir was “martyred as a result of terrorism”. “After that, the wave of terrorism kept on rising in Pakistan, and the fire spread to all four provinces.”

Noting the sacrifices paid by not only the citizens but also the police and the army, the PPP chairman said, “The Pakistani nation made the impossible possible.”

He brought up the 2014 Army Public School attack in Peshawar: “When an incident like APS took place, we put our politics aside and prioritised national interest.

“We endorsed the National Action Plan, we fought them (terrorists) in all four provinces, and we broke the backbone of terrorists in Pakistan,” he added.

“Sadly, all our achievements are lost, and the fire of terrorism is burning again. We are passing through a time worse than the past,” Bilawal lamented.

He added that the terrorists were taking advantage of the country’s weaknesses, mainly the lack of unity.