Foreign attackers behind blast that killed 12: Pakistan

A suicide bomber has killed 12 people in Pakistan’s capital, in a sharp escalation of militant violence. The defense minister said it had pushed the country into a “state of war”.

Pakistani government ministers have accused neighboring Afghanistan of complicity in the bloodshed – a charge denied by officials in Kabul – and vowed retaliation if Afghan officials fail to rein in militants they say are responsible.

“We are at war,” Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said after the attack, which was the first attack on civilians in Islamabad in a decade.

“Taking this fight to Islamabad is a message from Kabul to which Pakistan has full authority to respond.”

Pakistan is faced with Afghanistan and India; It fought a four-day war with India in May and last month launched air strikes on Afghanistan, including Kabul, in response to what it said was the presence of Pakistani militants there.

Later clashes on the Pakistan-Afghan border were followed by failed peace talks.

Pakistan’s main jihadist group, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or the Pakistani Taliban, denied involvement in an attack in which a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a crowded lower court in Islamabad on Tuesday.

The incident took place hours after militants attacked a school near the Afghan border on Monday, killing three people.

The attackers were still hiding inside the complex late Tuesday, and about 500 students and staff were trapped in another part of the complex.

Pakistani Taliban militants have focused on attacks against security forces in recent years.

Civilians have not been shot in Islamabad for a decade, according to Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, which tracks attacks.

Pakistani officials say the Pakistani Taliban and other militants are in Afghanistan with the support of India.

Speaking at the scene of the court bombing, Interior Minister Muhsin Naqvi said, “We are completely clear that Afghanistan must stop them. In case of failure, we have no option but to deal with the terrorists who attack our country.” he said.

Naqvi said that those who attacked the school were in contact with their administrators in Afghanistan at the time of the attack.

He said the authorities are investigating the backers of the court bombing, adding that an attack in Islamabad “carried a lot of messages”.

“India categorically rejects the unfounded and baseless allegations made by the clearly distraught Pakistani leadership,” the Indian foreign ministry said. he said.

The Taliban administration in Kabul said in a statement that it “expressed deep regret and condemnation” for the attacks.

A spokesman did not respond to a request for comment on Pakistan’s accusations.

Afghanistan denies that its territory is used for attacks against other countries.

The attacks in Pakistan came a day after an explosion killed eight people in the Indian capital.

“These targets are clearly an attempt to spread panic in society,” said retired three-star general Muhammad Saeed.

“The terrorists have a big country that supports them, and there is another country that gives them space,” he added, referring to India and Afghanistan.

Abdul Simple, Senior Fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said that in recent weeks, new militant groups have emerged that aim to allow the TTP plausible deniability for attacks.

“They are sending a signal: If there is a strike in Kabul, Islamabad will not be safe,” Kolay said.

“And they are signaling that they may change their modus operandi to indiscriminate violence.”

Interior Minister Naqvi said that at least 12 people died and 27 people were injured in a suicide attack in front of a courthouse in Islamabad.

The palace bomber blew himself up near the entrance at noon.

Images on local media showed people lying in blood next to the police van.

A fire broke out in one vehicle, and the other vehicle suffered severe damage.

Naqvi said the bomber tried to enter the courthouse on foot, but when he could not find a way in, he detonated the bomb outside, near a police vehicle.

A hospital source said some of the injured were in critical condition.