India has vehemently rejected accusations made by the Pakistan Army that implicated India in a recent suicide attack in North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) dismissed the claims, calling them "deserving of contempt".
The MEA issued a statement asserting, "We have seen an official statement by the Pakistan Army seeking to blame India for the attack in Waziristan on 28 June. We reject this statement with the contempt it deserves". This strong response came after a suicide bombing in the North Waziristan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where a bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle near a military convoy.
The attack resulted in the deaths of at least 13 security personnel and injuries to over a dozen others. The blast also caused damage to nearby homes and injured civilians, including children. The suicide wing of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, a faction of the Pakistan Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack. Despite the group's admission, Pakistani officials hinted at Indian involvement, a charge that New Delhi has firmly denied.
The Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, which claimed responsibility for the bombing, is linked to the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The TTP has a history of insurgency against the Pakistani state, aiming to enforce its interpretation of Islamic governance. The group has been active in the tribal regions bordering Afghanistan, an area that has seen increased militant activity since the Taliban's resurgence in Kabul.
The accusation from Pakistan follows a pattern where high-profile attacks often lead to diplomatic tensions, with both countries frequently accusing each other of supporting insurgencies on their respective territories. These charges are typically denied.
In a similar vein, India had previously rejected Pakistan's allegations regarding Indian intelligence support in connection to a bus bombing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2021, labeling them as "lies". India stated that such accusations were an attempt to divert international attention from Pakistan's role as a hub for regional instability and a haven for terrorists.
Tensions between India and Pakistan often flare up, particularly over the Kashmir region. Past incidents, such as the 2019 Pulwama attack and the subsequent Balakot airstrikes, have further strained relations.
