Pakistan to investigate Indian link to Balchistan attack

If we find any Indian involvement, we will definitely raise the issue with New Delhi: Foreign Office

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan announced on Thursday that it would investigate the involvement of India in the martyrdom of 14 passengers at the hands of terrorists on the Makran Coastal Highway in Balochistan earlier in the day.

“We are closely monitoring the situation. If we find any Indian involvement, we will definitely raise the issue with New Delhi and take appropriate measures,” Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal told reporters at a weekly news briefing.

In response to a query, he recalled that Indian spy Kulbushan Yadav was also captured in Balochistan, and the information retrieved from him was shared with India as well as the international community.

Although, the spokesperson did not explicitly say that India was involved in the attack, he insisted that Pakistan would “expose” it vociferously similar to how it had done in the past.

Afghan peace

The spokesperson clarified that his statement at the last briefing that Pakistan would not be attending the talks between the US and the Taliban in Doha was misunderstood.

“I want to clarify that Pakistan has always supported all initiatives that are aimed at restoring peace in Afghanistan,” Faisal said.

“Under this spirit, we facilitated the talks between the US and Taliban in Abu Dhabi and Doha,” he added.

Faisal said Pakistan would continue playing its role in the peace process as a shared responsibility.

“It is equally important for all stakeholders to play their role for peace in Afghanistan.  An intra-afghan dialogue holds the key to the Afghan peace process. Pakistan will keep facilitating the process, as hopefully it will lead to a positive outcome and the end of bloodshed in Afghanistan.”

The spokesperson further said direct talks between the US and Taliban had increased the chances of peace in Afghanistan.

Responding to media reports that Chinese human traffickers in Pakistan were trapping women from poor families in sham marriages, the spokesperson said the departments concerned were investigating the matter.

However, he urged the media and citizens of both Pakistan and China to remain vigilant against elements working against the interests of the two countries as they were all-weather strategic partners.