‘India fueling terrorism, destabilising Balochistan': Pakistan minister after train hijack, suicide attacks

After a series of attack on its soil, including the train hijack in Balochistan region in which dozens were killed, Pakistan has claimed that it is India which is fanning terrorism in the country and destabilising the region.

“It is very clear to us,” Foreign office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said while alleging that India is also running a “global assassination campaign sponsored from their country”.

“Indian involvement is clear. They have been involved in terrorism in Pakistan. And secondly, it's not just Pakistan, they have been trying to destabilise the entire region, all South Asian countries,” Shafqat Ali Khan said.

“India's involvement in fanning terrorism in Pakistan, and its involvement in destabilising Balochistan is very clear to us,” he said.

Bringing the Kashmir issue again, the foreign office spokesperson also said that Pakistan believes in peaceful co-existence.

“However, a peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions and aspirations of the Kashmiri people, is essential for a lasting peace in South Asia.”

The remarks blaming India for its problems have come days after the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) militants hijacked the Jaffar Express, killing 21 and some personnel.

After over 24 hours, the Pakistani Army eliminated 33 BLA terrorists and rescued all the hostages.

A day later, a powerful bomb blast struck a mosque in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, leaving a senior cleric and three others injured. The device, which exploded, was planted in the mosque's pulpit, according to initial investigation.

And why is Pakistan blaming India for attacks on its soil? Shafqat Ali Khan said that India never condemned the attack on Jaffar Express.

Well this is not a first coming from Pakistan. Islamabad had earlier made similar comments which triggered strong reactions from New Delhi.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “The whole world knows where the epicentre of global terrorism lies. Pakistan should look inwards instead of pointing fingers and shifting the blame for its own internal problems and failures on others.”

(With agency inputs)