The repeated derailments of Pakistan’s Jaffar Express, primarily carried out by Baloch rebels, have become a source of embarrassment for Islamabad. In response, Pakistani Railway Minister Hanif Abbasi has publicly blamed India, claiming the attacks are retaliation for Pakistan’s alleged success in a four-day conflict in May. Abbasi asserted that India, “unwilling to digest its defeat,” is using proxies to target Pakistan’s infrastructure, though he provided no concrete evidence to substantiate these allegations.
Tuesday’s blast marked the seventh attack on the Jaffar Express this year. The train runs between Quetta in Balochistan and Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The deadliest incident occurred in March when militants hijacked the train, killing 21 hostages. Since then, Baloch militant groups, frustrated over local exploitation and marginalization, have repeatedly targeted the train. Previous attacks include a July derailment in Mastung that injured 12 passengers and another incident in August causing four injuries.
Abbasi and other Pakistani officials have tried to frame these attacks as part of a foreign conspiracy, ignoring the longstanding grievances of home-grown Baloch insurgents over the exploitation of their province’s mineral wealth. Pakistani authorities continue to insist that India orchestrated these attacks, citing the repeated sabotage of key railway routes, particularly in Balochistan, as “evidence” of foreign involvement.
The claims are part of a broader narrative in Pakistan attempting to portray victory in the May mini-war with India, despite operational setbacks. Pakistan’s military officials, including DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, have made tall claims about the performance of Chinese-made weapons and downing Indian jets. However, Indian accounts, particularly from Air Force Chief AP Singh, have refuted these claims, noting the destruction of Pakistani jets—including F-16s and JF-17s—and highlighting the precision of Indian systems such as the Akashteer air defense network and BrahMos missiles.
Operation Sindoor exposed the limitations of Chinese weaponry in Pakistani service, contrasting sharply with Pakistan’s public claims of success. Indian strikes demonstrated clear technological and strategic superiority, raising questions over the combat reliability of Chinese military exports and reinforcing India’s regional edge. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s narrative continues to frame domestic militant attacks as externally orchestrated, despite ethnic Baloch groups openly taking responsibility for the sabotage of the Jaffar Express.
