India Rejects Pakistan’s Accusation Over Deadly Waziristan Attack

India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Sunday firmly rejected accusations made by the Pakistan Army that sought to blame New Delhi for a deadly suicide bombing in North Waziristan a day earlier.

The attack, which targeted a Pakistani military convoy in the town of Mir Ali near the Afghan border, killed at least 13 soldiers and injured three civilians, including two children and a woman, according to an official statement by the Pakistan military.

India described the allegations as “baseless” and dismissed the claim that it had any role in the bombing. “We categorically reject the statement issued by the Pakistan Army. India does not believe in interfering in the internal matters of other countries,” said a spokesperson from the Ministry of External Affairs.

Following the bombing, the Pakistani military launched an operation in the region, killing 14 militants, the army said. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the bombing, calling it a “cowardly act.” In a statement from his office, he expressed condolences to the families of the slain soldiers and reaffirmed the government’s resolve to eradicate terrorism from the country.

Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, also responded forcefully, warning that any attempts to destabilize the country would be met with “swift and decisive retribution.”

Eyewitnesses described the intensity of the explosion. “It was huge, a big bang,” said a local administrator, noting that thick smoke was visible from a great distance. One resident reported that the blast shattered windows and caused some roofs to collapse in the surrounding area.

The North Waziristan district, located along the porous Pakistan-Afghanistan border, has long been a haven for militant groups operating across the frontier. While Islamabad blames militant networks based in Afghanistan for cross-border attacks, the Taliban-led government in Kabul insists such violence stems from Pakistan’s internal security challenges.

Among the most active groups in the region is the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an umbrella organization of various Islamist militant factions seeking to impose strict Islamic rule and topple the Pakistani government. The TTP has carried out numerous attacks on military and civilian targets in recent years, with the Pakistani army often bearing the brunt of their operations.

Saturday’s bombing underscores the enduring instability in the border region, even as Pakistan continues to press Kabul to crack down on militant sanctuaries across the border.