New Delhi: India on Friday firmly rejected Pakistan’s claims linking it to the deadly bombing at a mosque in Islamabad that killed at least 31 people. New Delhi described the allegations as baseless and irresponsible.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement, condemning the attack, and stated that it was regrettable that Pakistan chose to blame external actors instead of addressing its internal challenges. The MEA said Pakistan was diverting attention from problems rooted within its own society.
The statement said: “The bombing at an Islamabad mosque earlier today is condemnable and India condoles the loss of life it has caused. It is unfortunate that, instead of seriously addressing the problems plaguing its social fabric, Pakistan should choose to delude itself by blaming others for its home-grown ills. India rejects any and every such allegation, which is as baseless as it is pointless.”
The suicide bombing occurred during Friday prayers at the Khadijah al-Kubra mosque-cum-imambargah in Islamabad’s Tarlai area. Police said the powerful explosion left at least 31 people dead and injured 169 others, according to several media reports.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif alleged that India and Afghanistan had links to the attack. He made the claim without presenting any supporting evidence.
In a social media post, Asif said the attacker had travelled to and from Afghanistan. He further alleged that coordination between India and Afghanistan was becoming apparent.
