India calls Pak “epicentre of regional instability”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Nirendra Dev

Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who often spews venom against India, had said on Thursday (August 12) that terrorists backed by the Indian and Afghan agencies carried the bombing.

New Delhi: India on Friday lashed out at Pakistan, calling it the "epicentre of regional instability", and rubbished Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s claim that the Indian and Afghan spy agencies were behind a suicide attack at Dasu last month that killed nine Chinese nationals.

In response to media queries, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "We have seen reports on the absurd comments made by the Foreign Minister of Pakistan on the incident in Dasu. This is yet another attempt by Pakistan to malign India, in a bid to deflect international attention from its role as the epicentre of regional instability and a safe haven for proscribed terrorists."

He said India has been at the forefront of global efforts against terrorism in partnership with the international community, which is well aware of "Pakistan’s credentials" when it comes to terrorism.

"Such desperate attempts by Pakistan at peddling lies and propaganda will therefore find few takers," Bagchi said.

On July 14, there was a terror attack on the bus carrying workers to a hydropower project site at Dasu in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, resulting in the death of nine Chinese nationals and four others.

Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who often spews venom against India, had said on Thursday (August 12) that terrorists backed by the Indian and Afghan agencies carried the bombing.

While China from the beginning attributed the mishap to a blast, the Pakistani authorities have made several flip-flops. Shortly after the explosion, they claimed that it was caused by a mechanical failure and gas leak.

Pakistan's complexities with regard to Taliban activities in Afghanistan have already drawn international attention. There is also a growing clamour in Afghanistan to impose sanctions on Pakistan, which allegedly helped the Taliban launch a renewed offensive against Afghan forces and the Ashraf Ghani government. The Ashraf Ghani regime has always been very vocal against Islamabad's double standards vis-à-vis the war against terror.