Pakistan's military spokesman said on Friday the death toll in a train hijacking in the country's southwestern mountains had risen to 31 and he repeated accusations that neighbouring India and Afghanistan backed the militants who carried it out.

"Terrorists were in direct communications with Afghanistan-based planners throughout the incident," he said. The Foreign Office statement came after the army also officially confirmed the Afghan link to the brazen train hijacking.

Pakistan urges the Taliban to act against BLA militants after claiming Afghan-based planners directed a train hijack. #TrainHijacking