Pak minister slams PTI for spreading ‘fake narrative’

Islamabad, March 13: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday slammed jailed former premier Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party for spreading a “fake narrative” regarding the deadly terrorist attack on a train in Balochistan.
At least 21 passengers were killed in the attack by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) terrorists on the Jaffar Express in Bolan areas of Balochistan on Tuesday. The stand-off with the militants ended after the security forces killed all 33 terrorists.
Speaking in the National Assembly, Asif accused PTI-affiliated social media accounts of misrepresenting the tragic incident and undermining national unity by promoting misinformation, instead of acknowledging the sacrifices made by the armed forces in the rescue operation.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday visited Balochistan to review the law and order situation and to express solidarity with the people there following the hijacking.
The incident occurred when the train, travelling from Quetta to Peshawar and carrying 440 passengers, was ambushed by BLA militants near the mountainous terrain of Gudalar and Piru Kunri in a tunnel. They opened fire on the train and held the passengers hostage, prompting the security forces to initiate an operation that lasted two days.
Announcing the completion of the operation, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Wednesday said the armed forces took part in the action against militants who “remained in contact with their facilitators and mastermind based in Afghanistan via satellite phone”. (PTI)