ISLAMABAD — Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has accused the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) of operating as proxies for India, promising to present conclusive evidence linking New Delhi to the recent deadly attack on a school bus in Khuzdar, Balochistan. The attack killed three children and injured dozens of others.
Speaking on a private TV channel, Asif asserted that the BLA’s leadership is based in India and that the group, along with the TTP, is financed by India to fuel violence and destabilize Pakistan. He emphasized that these groups are neither motivated by religion nor nationalism but are tools for external aggression.
The Khuzdar incident involved an explosives-laden vehicle targeting a school bus carrying students to the Army Public School, resulting in six fatalities, including three students, and leaving many seriously wounded, some critically.
Asif vowed that Pakistan would respond with full force, rejecting any leniency toward those who target non-combatants, especially children. He condemned the attack as unacceptable and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to justice.
He also criticized India’s refusal to cooperate with investigations into attacks such as the one in Pahalgam and accused the Modi-led government of irresponsibly escalating tensions in the region. While Pakistan does not seek nuclear conflict, Asif warned it would not remain silent if provoked.
The military’s media wing, ISPR, echoed these sentiments, describing Indian terror proxies as state tools used to destabilize Pakistan through attacks on civilians. ISPR affirmed ongoing operations against these groups following the recent military successes in Operation Bunyanum Marsoos.
In a related diplomatic move, Pakistan declared a staff member of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad persona non grata, ordering the official to leave the country within 24 hours for activities deemed inconsistent with diplomatic status. This action followed a similar declaration by India against a Pakistani official.
The diplomatic tensions underscore the strained relations between the two countries amid ongoing security challenges.