Islamabad to take up 'Indian role' in PSX attack with United States

Islamabad seeks US guarantees to safeguard its interests as intra-Afghan dialogue approach

ISLAMABAD:

Islamabad has decided to "forcefully raise" the issue of Indian involvement in the recent terrorist attack on the Pakistan Stock Exchange with the United States, officials familiar with the development said on Tuesday.

Four terrorists, who tried to storm the Pakistan Stock Exchange building in Karachi, were gunned down before they could achieve their objective. In the process, a police official and two security guards were martyred but the attack was successfully foiled.

The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) quickly took responsibility for the attack, but Pakistani officials pointed fingers at the involvement of Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

Prime Minister Imran Khan, while speaking on the floor of National Assembly on Tuesday, said that Pakistan had no doubt that India was behind the Stock Exchange attack.

Earlier, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on National Security Division and Strategic Policy Planning Moeed Yousaf was the first official to link the attack with India.

"Pakistan’s enemy is naked in its aggression. Make no mistake, today’s attack in Karachi is state-sponsored terrorism against Pakistan. Our valiant countrymen and women have fought against this menace before and our resolve remains resolute," he tweeted hours after security forces gunned down the perpetrators in the port city of Karachi.

Pakistan’s enemy is naked in its aggression. Make no mistake, today’s attack in Karachi is state-sponsored terrorism against Pakistan. Our valiant countrymen and women have fought against this menace before and our resolve remains resolute.

— Moeed W. Yusuf (@YusufMoeed) June 29, 2020

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and a separate statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO) also mentioned the possible role of India behind the attack.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, a senior government official said that Pakistan would take up this issue with Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, President Trump's point man for Afghan peace efforts.

Khalilzad is due to meet senior Pakistani military and civil authorities on Wednesday in Islamabad.

"Yes, the issue of Indian sponsored terrorist attack at the Pakistan stock Exchange will be taken up with him [Khalilzad]," said the official who requested anonymity.

The official added that the BLA had "safe havens" in Afghanistan. RAW and other hostile agencies have been using BLA as a proxy to destabilise Pakistan as well as target the Chinese investment in the country. In November 2018, BLA also took responsibility of another foiled attempt by its terrorists to storm the Chinese Consulate in Karachi.

The BLA has been declared a terrorist outfit by Pakistan as well as the United Kingdom and the United States. Islamabad wants the US to eradicate BLA "safe havens" from Afghanistan.

Khalilzad will be here as part of ongoing efforts to advance peace efforts in Afghanistan, which include the early start of intra-Afghan dialogue. But with the increased threat of such attacks by allegedly by Indian sponsored proxies, Islamabad is now seeking US guarantees to ensure its interests are not hurt.

The development comes as Islamabad fears that India may up the ante in coming weeks against Pakistan to divert attention from its miliary standoff with China.

China and India have locked horns in the high altitude Ladakh region since early May. At least 20 Indian soldiers including a Colonel were killed when the weeks-long border tensions turned into bloody fight at the Galwan valley.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been under pressure domestically for capitulating before China.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has repeatedly warned that India could carry out a "false flag" operation to divert attention from Kashmir as well as its current tensions with China.