Pakistan is once again the target of terrorists, and this time the target is the Jaffar Express, the attack on which is raising many questions. More than 24 hours have passed since the attack, but its full details have not yet been made public.
The enemy country India and the Western media are continuously reporting on the incident, while the lack of information in Pakistan has given rise to rumors and speculation.
According to reports so far, there were 444 passengers on board the Jaffar Express, of whom more than 100 belonged to security agencies. 104 people have been rescued while 22 attackers are reported to have been killed. According to unconfirmed sources, there are reports of martyrdom of some army personnel in Sibi Hospital, but these claims are not being confirmed or denied at the official level.
This information gap raises several concerns. On the one hand, the government and security agencies are probably verifying before revealing the complete facts so that no false information is spread. On the other hand, this silence is giving the enemy an opportunity to propagate, which is creating anxiety among the public.
This attack does not appear to be a typical terrorist incident, but rather a well-planned one. If there were indeed such a large number of security personnel on the train, the question arises as to how the terrorists were informed about it in advance? Two possible aspects stand out in this attack: Was the terrorist threat not anticipated?
Or if there was a threat, why were adequate security measures not taken? The way the terrorists attacked the train suggests that they were not only aware of the local geography but were also aware of the security movements. It is premature to say whether this was an intelligence failure or the cunning of the terrorists, but it is clear that the enemy has been able to exploit our weaknesses.
After the Jaffer Express attack, Indian media and Western news networks have started portraying the incident as a security failure in Pakistan. Since the Pakistani government and institutions could not immediately give a clear statement, the enemy media is creating a narrative of its own and presenting it to the world.
This is not the first time that silence at the national level has given the enemy an advantage. In the past too, when timely clarification was not given, foreign media have carved out their own stories.
We need to understand that the battlefield is not won with guns alone, but information warfare is equally important. If we do not respond to the enemy’s propaganda in a timely and effective manner, we may have to suffer losses at the global level.
The most important question here is when and how will the public be told the truth? Will the government or the military leadership give a clear stance? Will the media be provided with facts on this issue so that they can avoid speculation? The Pakistani people have always stood by their security forces in the war against terrorism.
Even today, the nation stands behind its institutions in solidarity, but at the same time, access to facts is also a fundamental right of the public. If the government and the security institutions give a clear and authoritative stance as soon as possible, not only will the uncertainty among the public end but also the enemy’s propaganda can be effectively responded to.
The attack on the Jaffar Express is a continuation of an open war against Pakistan. In this war, we must fight not only with guns, but also with truth, effective information strategies, and national unity.
Written by: Shahzad Hussain Bhatti
[…] تک کی اطلاعات کے مطابق جعفر ایکسپریس میں 444 مسافر سوار تھے، جن میں سے 100 سے زائد کا تعلق […]