Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: India on Friday firmly rejected Pakistan’s accusations of “sponsoring terrorism,” emphasizing that the world is well aware of where the true “epicentre of global terrorism” lies. This strong rebuttal came after Islamabad indirectly blamed India for supporting terror activities following the recent Balochistan train attack, which claimed 21 lives.
India’s Strong Rebuttal
• Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dismissed Pakistan’s baseless allegations.
• “We strongly reject the baseless allegations made by Pakistan. The whole world knows where the epicentre of global terrorism lies,” Jaiswal said.
• He urged Pakistan to introspect instead of shifting blame for its internal failures onto others.
Pakistan’s Allegations
• Islamabad’s accusations came after a deadly attack on the Jaffar Express on Tuesday, which led to a 24-hour hostage crisis.
• While Pakistan frequently blames India for backing Baloch separatist groups, Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan pointed to Afghanistan as the attack’s origin.
• “India is involved in sponsoring terrorism against Pakistan,” Khan alleged.
• However, he admitted that “this particular incident” was traced back to Afghanistan.
Pakistan Accuses India of ‘Global Assassination Campaign’
• Khan also accused India of running a “global assassination campaign” and destabilizing neighboring nations.
• He further alleged that Indian media was glorifying the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which Pakistan designates as a terrorist organization.
• “We urge Afghanistan to take action against these groups,” he added, insisting that the attackers had direct contacts with militants based in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan Rejects Pakistan’s Claims
• Taliban spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi dismissed Pakistan’s allegations as “irresponsible remarks”.
• Kabul urged Pakistan to focus on its internal security issues instead of blaming Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s Stance on Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC)
• Pakistan also reiterated its March 31 deadline for Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders to leave the country.
• “Beyond March 31, they will be deemed illegal residents in Pakistan, and the law will take its course,” Khan warned.