Islamabad suicide attack plot foiled: Bugti

QUETTA:

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti on Monday said intelligence agencies had foiled a planned terrorist attack in Islamabad allegedly involving an underage girl who had been coerced and exploited by militants for a suicide bombing mission.

Addressing a news conference alongside the girl, Bugti said the suspect would not face trial and would instead be handed over to her father under supervision, citing her age and the circumstances surrounding her alleged exploitation.

He strongly condemned the use of Baloch women and girls in militant activities, saying such actions had no connection with Baloch traditions or values.

"We are faithful to our tradition," he said, adding, "These people have no connection to Balochiyat, and the way they are using our women in this war is shameful. I am so ashamed that I cannot even tell the media the details."

According to the chief minister, the girl's name had earlier surfaced on social media as a missing person, but subsequent investigations by intelligence agencies revealed that she had allegedly been undergoing training at a militant camp.

Describing the findings as "very unfortunate", Bugti said militants were allegedly using "honeytrapping" tactics to manipulate women before blackmailing them into carrying out attacks. In the present case, he claimed, the girl had been threatened with harm to her father if she refused to comply.

"The plan was to perform a suicide attack in Islamabad," the chief minister said.

Bugti alleged that the attack was orchestrated by operatives linked to India's intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), to undermine Pakistan's improving international image.

He further claimed that the girl may not even have known Islamabad was the intended target and would likely have been informed at the last moment. He praised intelligence agencies for preventing a major attack plan.

The chief minister repeatedly condemned those responsible for allegedly exploiting Baloch women for militant purposes.

"They would exploit their own Baloch girls? Their own daughters, their own sisters … and to please international masters? Can you conceive of it?"

"Then they say, 'We are Baloch and these are Baloch traditions and a Baloch cause' - there is no cause, no Balochiyat. It is a curse on this Balochiyat."

Bugti said the case had deeply disturbed him and highlighted the contrast between the state and militant groups.

"I always say we should be opening doors to Oxford and Harvard for these girls, and they want to exploit them and put them in suicide jackets."

He also criticised the glorification of such acts on social media, saying militants used videos of women and girls involved in attacks as propaganda to recruit others.

"Historically, Baloch women have never been a part of war. Historically, Baloch women have been a part of peace - when tribes fight, if a woman comes in between them, the fight ends. If a woman is there, her brother's life is spared; if a woman is there, her father and son's murders are called off … these were our traditions," he noted.

"What kind of tradition has you exploiting girls for your vested interests like this? I do not have words to tell you the details," the Balochistan CM remarked.

Bugti said the government had decided to return the girl to her father "respectfully and with political and tribal guarantees," adding that the father belonged to a poor family.

"We have requested that he keep an eye on his daughter and, of course, our oversight will be present somewhere; we will watch them."

He said authorities had decided against prosecuting the girl due to her age and the evidence suggesting exploitation.

"We could have tried her, but seeing the evidence of exploitation … I cannot sleep tonight."

"This is what they are doing to our Baloch daughters? To our Baloch sisters? They should be ashamed."

The chief minister also commended the intelligence agencies for preventing what could have caused major reputational and security damage to Pakistan.

"So much destruction was going to happen; that was a given," he noted. "But in Pakistan, if a woman carries out a suicide bombing … you can imagine its impact on Pakistan at this time, on an international level."