MEA rejects 'baseless' allegations, condoles loss of lives in Balochistan

The Ministry of External Affairs has firmly denied Pakistan’s claims that it was involved in a deadly bomb attack in Balochistan's Khuzdar and called the accusations baseless.

 

“India rejects the baseless allegations made by Pakistan regarding Indian involvement with the incident in Khuzdar earlier today (May 21). India condoles the loss of lives in all such incidents,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in a statement.

 

He went on to say that Pakistan regularly blames India to deflect attention from its own internal issues. “In order to divert attention from its reputation as the global epicenter of terrorism and to hide its own gross failings, it has become second nature for Pakistan to blame India for all its internal issues,” he said.

 

“This attempt to hoodwink the world is doomed to fail,” Jaiswal added.

Deadly blast in Balochistan targets school bus

At least six people, including children, were killed on Wednesday when a bomb exploded near a school bus in Khuzdar, a district in Pakistan’s southwest province of Balochistan. 

 

Balochistan’s Chief Minister, Sarfraz Bugti, confirmed that four schoolchildren, the bus driver, and his assistant lost their lives in the blast.

 

Police have said that the bus, carrying about 40 students, exploded around 7:40 am local time (02:40 GMT) just outside the remote town. Three of the victims were children. Images shared online showed the burnt remains of the bus, with school bags strewn across the area.

Pakistan blames India, but evidence is lacking

Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, condemned the incident, calling it “sheer barbarism”. He said the attackers were “beasts who target children” in an attempt to destabilise the country.

 

Pakistan’s military has accused India and groups it labels as Indian proxies in Balochistan of planning the attack, though no proof has been presented to support the claim.

Tensions between Pakistan and India remain high

The accusations come at a time when both countries are recovering from a two-week military conflict. The conflict was triggered by a militant attack on tourists in Kashmir's Pahalgam. 

 

In response, India carried out several strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) following the incident. Pakistan has denied having any role in the initial attack.

Long-standing unrest in Balochistan

Balochistan has been suffering from a decades-long separatist insurgency, with the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) seeking independence for the province. In March, the BLA claimed responsibility for a deadly siege in Sibi district that killed 21 civilians and four soldiers.

 

Meanwhile, human rights groups and Baloch activists have accused Pakistan’s security forces of widespread abuses. They allege that thousands of ethnic Baloch people have been forcibly disappeared over the past two decades, often without legal process.

 

Balochistan remains one of Pakistan’s most troubled regions, facing both violent insurgency and serious allegations of human rights violations.