India slams Pakistan’s ‘baseless’ Balochistan claims amid deadly attacks

Balochistan, one of the country’s resource-rich regions, has witnessed a series of large-scale assaults by insurgents in recent days targeting security forces, civilians and infrastructure. The attacks have reportedly left 33 people dead.

Reacting to the allegations, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement, “We categorically reject the baseless allegations made by Pakistan, which are nothing but its usual tactic to deflect attention from its own internal failings.”

He added, “Instead of parroting frivolous claims each time there is a violent incident, it would do better to focus on addressing the long-standing demands of its people in the region. Its record of suppression, brutality and human rights violations is well known.”

The response came after Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi alleged that the attackers involved in the Balochistan violence had India’s backing.

“These were not ordinary terrorists,” Naqvi was quoted as saying by AMU TV. “India is behind these attacks. I can say with confidence that India planned these attacks together with the terrorists,” he claimed.

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the coordinated attacks carried out across several towns and cities in the region. The group also released images of two suicide attackers allegedly involved in the assault. Both were women, and one of them has been identified as 24-year-old Asifa Mengal, according to media reports.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s military said at least 125 people were killed in widespread clashes across Balochistan, including 15 security personnel, 18 civilians and 92 militants, AMU TV reported.

The army stated that multiple attacks were carried out in areas including Quetta, Mastung, Noshki, Dalbandin, Kharan, Panjgur, Turbat, Gwadar and Pasni.

Located near the borders with Iran and Afghanistan, Balochistan has long been affected by a separatist insurgency. Militant groups in the province have frequently targeted security forces, infrastructure and Chinese-linked projects associated with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).