Pakistan blames India, Afghanistan for deadly bus bombing that killed 9 Chinese labourers

According to Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, a suicide attack by Islamist terrorists backed by Indian and Afghan security agencies murdered 13 people, including 9 Chinese labourers, on a bus last month. Qureshi claimed that an inquiry revealed a nexus of Indian RAW and Afghan NDS agents were involved in the attack, referring to the intelligence organisations of the two countries.

Qureshi claims to have data, evidence to back up accusation

A bus carrying workers to a dam construction site in northern Pakistan was struck by a bomb on July 14. There were reportedly two Pakistani soldiers among the dead. According to an Indian government official, the charge is unfounded, and Pakistan has made similar accusations in the past. The Afghan foreign ministry was unavailable for comment right away. Qureshi and the leader of the investigative team spoke at a news conference in Islamabad, claiming that Pakistan had data evidence to back up their claim that the spy agencies of the two neighbours were engaged. Qureshi also claims that the attack was carried out, by Pakistani Taliban militants known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an umbrella movement of militant factions allied to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. 

Pakistan's Deputy Inspector General of Counter Terrorism Police, Javed Iqbal, who was in charge of the investigation said that the assailants smashed an explosive-laden car into the bus. About 100/120 kg of high explosives were used in the car bombing. Iqbal added that a forensic investigation of the suicide bomber's leftovers revealed he was not a Pakistani national. Video footage, cell phone data analysis, local handler and facilitator investigations, and forensic examination of the bombing car all proved that the TTP in Afghanistan organised the attack.

China is investigating the situation

Last month, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang urged his Pakistani counterpart to take the perpetrators of what he described as a terrorist incident accountable. According to Qureshi, The investigation has enlisted the help of Chinese detectives. China is investing more than $65 billion in infrastructure projects in Pakistan as part of its Belt and Road strategy, which includes the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The bus blast was the most devastating attack on Chinese nationals in recent years, according to a Chinese newspaper published by the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily.

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