India fuels terrorism in Balochistan, its media celebrated Khuzdar school bus bombing: DG ISPR

Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Friday said Fitna-ul-Hindustan orchestrated the recent terrorist attack on a school bus in Khuzdar, Balochistan, terming it part of a long-standing campaign of state-sponsored terrorism against Pakistan since its inception.

Addressing a joint press conference with Interior Secretary Captain (Retd) Khurram Muhammad Agha in GHQ, Lt Gen Chaudhry stated that the attack, which claimed the lives of six children and injured 31 others, was carried out by Indian-backed terrorists under the umbrella of the "Fitna al Hindustan" network, operating under the guidance of India's intelligence agency, RAW.

"This was not just an attack on a bus; it was an attack on our values, our education system, and the very sector of our society," said Secretary Agha, adding that initial findings clearly indicated a continuation of Indian-sponsored violence in Balochistan.

The DG ISPR outlined a timeline of Indian involvement in terrorism in Pakistan, referencing multiple dossiers presented to international bodies and incidents such as the arrest of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav in 2016 and the 2019 evidence submitted to the United Nations.

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“In the past few years, after facing severe losses while targeting hard objectives, these India-sponsored proxies have shifted their focus to soft targets, such as workers, infrastructure, and now even schoolchildren,” Lt Gen Chaudhry said.

He pointed to the October 2024 attack on the Chinese envoy in Karachi and the hijacking of the Jaffar Express, saying Indian-affiliated social media accounts linked to RAW had preemptively posted about the incidents.

“Before these attacks took place, Indian social media accounts warned to ‘keep an eye on Pakistan’. These accounts, which openly support BLA and Fitna ul Hindustan, were also seen celebrating the recent Khuzdar attack,” he added.

Lt Gen Chaudhry added, “This attack had nothing to do with Baloch identity [Balochiat], Pakistaniat and Islam, it is Indian provocation, planned, funded, and executed by its proxies.” 

“But let me be clear that Pakistan will not allow these efforts to destabilise us [country], our response will be decisive.”

At a press conference, DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry revealed that from the morning of May 9 until 2 am, the India-backed terrorist outfit Fitna al Hindustan carried out 33 coordinated attacks across Balochistan. He said five terrorists were killed and 22 captured. The attacks coincided with India's launch of drones and missiles into Pakistan.

Lt Gen Chaudhry stated that Fitnatul Hindustan operates purely for monetary gain, funded by India and supplied with American weapons left behind in Afghanistan. He added that Fitnatul Khawarij also maintains ties with India, evident from the advanced weaponry recovered from captured terrorists.

Pakistan is a peace loving nation but prepared for war if imposed: DG ISPR

He further accused India of running a coordinated propaganda campaign through its media and social media wings in support of terrorist activities.

Citing specific incidents, he said that before the November 4, 2023 attack on the Mianwali Airbase, Indian social media had posted cryptic warnings like “tomorrow is a big day,” followed by celebratory messages after the attack.

Similarly, before the attack on Chinese nationals in Karachi on October 6, 2024, Indian accounts linked to RAW hinted at a "big day" and later celebrated the incident online.

He added that a similar pattern was observed before the March 11 attack on the Jaffar Express, where Indian media and social media celebrated the brutality while the global community condemned it.

‘Indian celebrates Khuzdar attack:' Lt Gen

Lt Gen pointed out that Indian media was “celebrating’ the Khuzdar school bus attack, stating that many of the social media accounts praising the incident were linked to India's intelligence agency RAW and supported groups like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Fitna ul Hindustan.

He added that six children lost their lives in the Khuzdar attack on May 21, while 51 others remain in critical condition, battling for survival in the hospitals.

Regarding counter-strategy to counter Fitna ul Hindustan, the DG ISPR said, “Our core policy is unity and resilience, the people of Pakistan are like a solid iron wall, they responded with courage and clarity during the Indian aggression on the nights of May 6, 7, and again on May 10.”