India, UN condemn terror attacks in Pakistan

New Delhi, July 15: India has strongly condemned the latest series of terror attacks in poll-bound Pakistan that have claimed over 150 lives.

“Three tragic terrorist attacks have hit the people of Pakistan within a short span of 3-4 days,” the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement late on Saturday.

“More than 150 innocent people have lost their lives and hundreds have been injured,” it stated.

Stating that “more disturbing is the fact that these attacks took place on election rallies, essential to the democratic process”, it said: “India has always condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We strongly condemn these attacks and extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.”

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres too has strongly condemned the attacks targeting political rallies and candidates in Pakistan, his deputy spokesman said.

The UN stands in solidarity with and supports the efforts of the government of Pakistan in the fight against terrorism, Xinhua quoted Farhan Haq, the Deputy Spokesman, as saying in a statement.

Guterres extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and to the government and people of Pakistan, said the UN statement.

A number of bombings at political rallies over the past one week have shattered peace in Pakistan ahead of the July 25 polls, with the latest in the string being a devastating suicide attack in Balochistan on Friday that killed at least 132 people.

Amid intensified election campaigning, attacks in different areas of the country have stoked fear of more violence.

Provincial authorities said the suicide bomber on Friday detonated in the middle of a compound in Mastung’s Darengarh area where a political meeting was in progress.

The Pakistan government has declared Sunday as a day of national mourning over the attacks in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The attack in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Friday left four dead and nearly 40 injured.

On July 10, ANP candidate from Peshawar, Haroon Bilour, and 19 others were killed in an attack targeting the party’s election meeting.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Kashmir Monitor staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)