Ploy of vested interests to show country in a negative light: Pakistan

The Foreign Office had on Thursday rejected accusations by the Indian government and media linking the suicide attack at Pulwama -- which was claimed by the Jaish e Mohammad .

Pakistan’s media and opinion-makers suggested on Friday the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir was part of a ploy by vested interests to show the country in a negative light amid the talks process in Afghanistan and ahead of the visit of Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“The timing of the attack goes against Pakistan. This suggests the attack was carried out by forces that want to see Pakistan bear the brunt of this, when all indicators point to an attack from within,” said Lt Gen (retired) Talat Masood, a leading security analyst.

“Pakistan is undertaking potentially historic diplomacy this weekend, with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and then hosting US special representative Zalmay Khalilzad and the Afghan Taliban,” said foreign policy analyst Mosharraf Zaidi.

“The timing of this attack puts immense pressure on those diplomatic initiatives and alters what should have been a time of celebrating diplomatic successes into a time of worry and stress with India,” he added.

There were those who argued the finger of blame was being pointed at Pakistan to blacklist the country. Commentator Imtiaz Gul tweeted: “Linking an act by local disgruntled #Kashmiris to the Jaish-e-Mohammad and dragging #Pakistan into it #India smacks of mischief ahead of FATF meeting.”

The Foreign Office had on Thursday rejected accusations by the Indian government and media linking the suicide attack at Pulwama -- which was claimed by the Jaish e Mohammad (JeM) and left 40 Central Reserve Police Force troopers dead — to Pakistan.

“We strongly reject any insinuation by elements in the Indian government and media circles that seek to link the attack to the State of Pakistan without investigations,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.

The Saudi prince, scheduled to arrive in Islamabad on February 16, is expected to announce deals worth billions of dollars to shore up Pakistan’s economy.

Pakistan has also positioned itself to play a key role in facilitating talks between the Afghan Taliban, whose leaders are based in Pakistani cities, and the US.

Many Pakistanis expressed sympathy for the victims of the attack but insisted their country was not used to sponsor the assault. Pakistani media highlighted the attacker was a Kashmiri and suggested the country had nothing to do with what they described as the outcome of a “local insurgency”.

The media also blamed Indian security forces for creating the situation that led to such attacks.

Actor Hamza Ali Abbasi, known for voicing controversial opinions on political matters, tweeted: “Every human life is sacred, its loss should be mourned. I am not celebrating the death of these soldiers but Kashmiris don’t want Indian Army occupation and my advice to the Indian Army: Leave Kashmir because Kashmiris have taken everything in their own hands.”

Television channels showed the reaction of elements in India after the attacks. Duniya News, a popular Lahore-based channel, tweeted about violence during protests in Jammu in the aftermath of the attack. The channel aired special programmes about how Kashmiris were allegedly being targeted by extremists.