[Current Affairs] November 16,2020 Top Pakistan Current Affairs for PPSC Test Preparation

2. Allegations of India sponsoring attacks in Pakistan

What’s going on? For the longest time, Pakistani officials have accused India of sponsoring violent groups that launch attacks in the country. India has always denied these allegations. In fact, India accuses Pakistan of supporting militants who launch attacks in India and fight in India-controlled Kashmir. However, Pakistan claims to have proof now.

For real? During a joint news conference in Islamabad on Saturday, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and military spokesman, Major General Babar Iftikhar, alleged that Indian intelligence agents were operating out of Afghanistan to plan attacks in Pakistan. Qureshi said Pakistan will present a dossier of evidence to the United Nations (UN) and other international bodies, showing that India is also involved with militant organizations on Pakistani soil. Some of this proof allegedly reveals that India sponsored banned militant organizations like the Pakistan Taliban and Baloch insurgent groups.

Tell me more: Qureshi and Iftikhar also claimed that India is using Baloch insurgent groups to target economic initiatives in Pakistan. For example, Baloch insurgent groups have claimed responsibility for attacks on Chinese interests. China is currently undertaking a $65 billion infrastructure project in Balochistan as a part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). However Baloch insurgents are against China’s presence in Balochistan’s Gwadar area, because they think China’s development work will end up stripping, plundering and exploiting the province’s natural resources (P.S. Baloch insurgents and separatists want Balochistan to be independent from Pakistan).

The context: The Qureshi-Iftikhar news conference took place a day after another cross-border shelling incident between Pakistan and India. At least 10 civilians and five security personnel were killed in a cross-border attack along the Line of Control (LoC) on Friday. The LoC is a highly militarized de facto border that separates the Pakistani and Indian portions of Kashmir. Pakistan’s military said shelling from India’s side killed four civilians and one soldier. Indian officials said shelling from Pakistan’s side killed six civilians, three soldiers and a border guard.

The bottom line: Pakistan’s accusations against India have reportedly become more specific and detailed, which is why Pakistani officials think the evidence is “irrefutable.” For example, during the Saturday news conference, Qureshi and Iftikhar presented video clips, audio clips and other documents that allegedly show Indian intelligence handlers communicating with terrorists in Pakistan.