Pakistani security officials inspect the site of a bomb explosion in a fruit and vegetable market in Islamabad on April 9, 2014. PHOTO: AFP
The Interior Ministry has dismissed as ‘ridiculous’ a claim by the outlawed United Baloch Army (UBA) that its fighters carried out the deadly bombing at Islamabad’s fruit and vegetable market.
Initial investigations do not show any UBA link with the Islamabad blast, a spokesperson for the ministry said in a statement. “UBA’s claim is not only strange, it is also ridiculous,” he added. “The links of this incident lead somewhere else, according to investigations done by the security and intelligence agencies so far.” The spokesperson, however, said that whoever is responsible for this tragic incident will be pursued.
Hours earlier a purported spokesman for the UBA, Mureed Baloch, claimed credit for the attack.
“It was in retaliation for the ongoing security operations in Balochistan, torture, enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killing of Baloch political workers and torching of the houses of armless people in the province,” he told Quetta-based journalists via satellite phone from an undisclosed location.
He also claimed that UBA fighters had shot down a helicopter of security forces in the Mastung area of Balochistan which was engaged in a military operation. The same group had claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s train bombing in Sibi.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 10th, 2014.
COMMENTS (7)
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@Akbar Khan: Punjabi Army/Police has no business in Sindh & Baloochistan. Go back to Punjab SUCKERS.
Why not perform an investigation before you make bold statements about who is responsible.
This is the reason why you should never negotiate with terrorists at all. There are no good or bad terrorists, there are just terrorists. Negotiating with one faction of the terrorists will encourage the other to spread more terror in the hopes of bringing government to the negotiating table.
unless he knows it was an inside job?
Well, I don't know about the UBA claim but to say that is 'ridiculous' by someone responsible, as the Interior Ministry should be, is sure ridiculous. Without any serious investigation within 24hours to come up with that statement demonstrates irrepsonsibility or incompetency.
Why Ridiculous???? This is a stupidity of highest nature..............A group claims to be killer of innocent civilians and the protector of civilians call their claim ridiculous...........
Their claim is a claim and no effort should be spared to bring the perpetrator to face justice.
I think the govt is in denial. Not good at all !