India has strongly denied Pakistan’s accusations of Indian involvement in a deadly attack in the Khuzdar region of Balochistan, calling the claims “baseless” and an attempt to deflect attention from internal issues.
The response from India’s Ministry of External Affairs came after a powerful explosion on Wednesday targeted a school bus in Khuzdar, located in Pakistan’s restive southwest province of Balochistan. The blast killed at least six people, including four children, and left 38 others injured, according to Pakistani authorities cited by Al Jazeera.
In the aftermath of the attack, Pakistan’s military issued a statement condemning the violence and attributing the incident to what it described as “Indian terror proxies.” However, no supporting evidence was made public to substantiate the allegation.
Reacting to the claims, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal expressed sympathy for the victims but rejected any suggestion of Indian involvement.
“India rejects the baseless allegations made by Pakistan regarding Indian involvement with the incident in Khuzdar earlier today,” said Jaiswal. “India condoles the loss of lives in all such incidents.”
Jaiswal went on to criticise Islamabad for what he called a habitual pattern of blaming India for its domestic challenges. “It has become second nature for Pakistan to blame India for all its internal issues. This attempt to hoodwink the world is doomed to fail,” he said.
The Khuzdar attack is the latest in a series of violent incidents in Balochistan, a region plagued by insurgency, sectarian violence, and militant activity. Just days earlier, a car bomb exploded near a market in Qillah Abdullah district, killing four people.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have long flared over accusations of cross-border terrorism and espionage. Wednesday’s exchange of statements adds to an already strained diplomatic atmosphere, though neither side has indicated plans for immediate further escalation.
While Pakistan continues to allege foreign interference in Balochistan’s instability, analysts note that the volatile security situation in the region is shaped by a complex mix of separatist insurgencies, ethnic tensions, and militant violence — much of which is homegrown.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the Khuzdar blast. Authorities in Pakistan have launched an investigation into the attack.
