Pakistan has launched an investigation into possible “Indian involvement” in a deadly suicide bombing outside a district court in Islamabad, which killed at least 12 people and injured 27 others on Tuesday afternoon.
According to The Guardian, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pointed fingers at “Indian-backed terrorists” for orchestrating the blast, though he offered no concrete evidence to support his claim.
In a late-night statement, Sharif alleged that militants based in Afghanistan carried out the attack “at India’s instigation,” describing it as a “vile conspiracy against Pakistan.”
The explosion, which tore through the usually secure capital, has raised concerns over Islamabad’s security preparedness.
Shortly after the attack, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) initially claimed responsibility, stating that the blast targeted “un-Islamic judges and lawyers.” However, the group later retracted its statement, denying any involvement.
Several Pakistani ministers, however, have maintained that the TTP was behind the attack, as the group has been responsible for over a hundred assaults across the country this year, including multiple strikes on police and security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of foreign support for the militants.
Responding to Pakistan’s accusation, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dismissed the allegations as “baseless and absurd,” saying, “India categorically rejects these groundless claims. The Indian government remains firmly committed to eradicating terrorism in all its forms.”
Tensions between India and Pakistan have remained high since April, when 26 people were killed in a terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir. New Delhi blamed Islamabad for supporting the militant groups behind the attack. Pakistan strongly denied the charge, claiming instead that India and elements in Afghanistan were trying to destabilise Pakistan.
Prime Minister Sharif reiterated that the TTP and separatist Baloch militant groups are spreading instability in Pakistan with backing from India and the Afghan Taliban to foment unrest within Pakistan.
