New Delhi: Diplomatic tensions have reignited between New Delhi and Islamabad after a suicide car‑bomb attack struck a military convoy in Khadi village, Mir Ali, North Waziristan on June 28, claiming 16 Pakistani soldiers and injuring 29 others—including civilians, according to updated figures.
In the immediate aftermath, Pakistan’s Inter‑Services Public Relations (ISPR) publicly accused New Delhi of orchestrating the attack. However, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) staunchly dismissed the allegations, condemning the ISPR statement as “deserving of contempt” and asserting that Pakistan has provided no credible evidence. “We have seen an official statement by the Pakistan Army seeking to blame India for the attack in Waziristan on 28 June. We reject this statement with the contempt it deserves,” the ministry said in a statement.
An initial investigation revealed an enormous payload—approximately 800 kg of explosives—was used in the attack, causing extensive damage to nearby houses and resulting in civilian casualties including children.
Militant Faction Claims Responsibility
Shortly after the explosion, a faction of the Pakistani Taliban—identified as the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group—came forward claiming responsibility for the attack. This aligns with an emerging pattern of militant violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and North Waziristan, where several insurgent groups continue to target security installations.
North Waziristan remains a volatile region, with numerous past clashes such as the drone strike in May that killed children, and major military operations in April to counter militant infiltration. Pakistan has often accused neighboring Afghanistan of providing sanctuary to terrorist elements—a charge repeatedly denied by Kabul.
By rejecting Pakistan’s claims in such stark terms, India signaled its refusal to entertain what it termed “contemptible” allegations, deepening the trust deficit between the two nuclear‑armed nations.
