New Delhi, February 7: A devastating explosion in Islamabad, Pakistan, has resulted in the deaths of more than 30 individuals and left around 160 injured. In a swift response, Pakistan has blamed Afghanistan and India for the attack within just 24 hours.
For centuries, Pakistan has harbored terrorism but has failed to hold its intelligence agencies accountable for their role in fostering militant groups that have now turned against the state.
Indian intelligence assessments suggest that the attack may have been orchestrated by either Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP). However, neither group has claimed responsibility for the incident thus far.
Indian officials have not ruled out the possibility that this attack could be a tactic by the Pakistani government to divert attention from losses suffered by its security forces in Balochistan.
The attack occurred during Friday prayers at the Khawja Tul Kubra Mosque in the Taralai Kalan area of Islamabad, reportedly targeting Shia worshippers. The pattern of the attack indicates a potential link to either TTP or ISKP.
Indian authorities have raised questions about why Pakistan was so quick to assign blame to India and Afghanistan. Officials stated that they are not discussing intelligence failures, emphasizing the need to determine whether this oversight was deliberate.
Field Marshal Asim Munir is the key figure in the Pakistani government, which has faced embarrassment on multiple fronts in recent months. This began with India’s Operation Sindoor and has led to Pakistan fighting on several fronts.
Currently, Pakistan is engaged in conflicts with the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), TTP, and the Afghan Taliban. Additionally, protests are erupting in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, with intelligence officials warning that the region is primed for further violence.
ISKP has long had a contentious relationship with the Pakistani government. Like TTP, ISKP seeks to impose Sharia law in the country. The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had previously attempted to align ISKP with Lashkar-e-Taiba to combat the Afghan Taliban and TTP, but this strategy has faltered as ISKP has demonstrated its unreliability.
ISKP had temporarily allied with Lashkar-e-Taiba due to its animosity towards the Afghan Taliban, hoping for support from Pakistan in its fight against them. However, the ISI has failed to honor its commitments.
Moreover, Islamic nations, particularly those from Syria and Iraq, have shown reluctance to form alliances with Pakistan. ISKP has raised concerns that Pakistan is becoming an Islamic State governed by Sharia, weakening the alliance between ISI and ISKP.
An official stated that it is premature to conclude that ISKP was behind the attack, although there are indications of its involvement.
Before the initial investigation could commence, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif blamed the Afghan Taliban and India for the attack. Analysts suggest that Munir’s reaction was impulsive, indicating a desire to distract from various issues. He appears to be attempting to shift focus from the Balochistan situation while crafting a narrative against India and the Taliban. This statement and the attack coincided with Pakistan’s efforts to build a significant narrative against India.
This has allowed Jaish-e-Mohammed to conduct radical rallies and incite unrest in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Experts believe the aim is to create chaos and subsequently blame India for it. In doing so, Pakistan seems to overlook its internal security, with the urban blast serving as evidence of this oversight.
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K.K./A.S.