Pakistan mosque blast: India rejects ‘baseless’ allegations of link to Islamabad bombing

India on Friday categorically rejected Pakistan’s allegations of an Indian link to the suicide bombing at a mosque in Islamabad that killed at least 31 people.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), describing the attack as ”condemnable”, said it is unfortunate that, instead of seriously addressing the problems plaguing its social fabric, Pakistan chose to ”delude” itself by blaming others for its home-grown ills.

At least 31 people were killed and 169 injured in a suspected suicide blast in Pakistan. when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a Shia mosque during Friday prayers in Islamabad.  The incident occurred at a Shiite mosque in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. It came against the backdrop of a two-day visit from Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The powerful explosion took place at Khadijah al-Kubra mosque-cum-imambargah in the Tarlai area of Islamabad, police said in a statement.

”The bombing at an Islamabad mosque earlier today is condemnable and India condoles the loss of life it has caused,” the MEA said.

”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,” it said.

”India rejects any and every such allegation, which is as baseless as it is pointless,” it added.

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, without providing any evidence, alleged that India and Afghanistan were linked to the attack.

In a social media post, he claimed that it has been proved the terrorist involved in the attack travelled to and from Afghanistan.

”The collusion between India and Afghanistan is being revealed,” he alleged.

Though attacks are not so frequent in Islamabad, Pakistan has seen a surge in militant violence in recent months, largely blamed on Baloch separatist groups and the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, which is a separate group, but allied with Afghanistan’s Taliban. A regional affiliate of the Islamic State group has also been active in the country.

In the initial aftermath of the explosion, a lower number of casualties was released, but Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Memon gave the latest tolls.

With inputs from agencies