Pakistan PM Imran Khan says ‘no doubt’ India was behind Karachi stock exchange attack

Pakistan has long blamed India for funding members of the Balochistan separatist movement, which claimed credit for Monday’s attack

Opponents have long accused Khan of being overly sympathetic to the militants, with rivals once dubbing him ‘Taliban Khan’

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Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan accuses India of being involved in the attack on the Karachi stock exchange on Monday morning. Photo: Iranian presidency via dpa

Published: 10:43pm, 30 Jun 2020Updated: 1:26am, 1 Jul 2020

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday blamed India for a deadly attack on the stock exchange in Karachi, saying there was “no doubt” who was responsible.

“Our security forces fought and thwarted a huge tragedy which was planned by our neighbouring country India,” Khan told parliament, without offering any evidence.

The home-grown Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for Monday’s attack, in which three security guards and a policeman were killed – as well as the four assailants.

The BLA said it was targeting “Pakistan’s economy”, as well as “Chinese economic interests” in Balochistan.

A Pakistani soldier stands guard next to bullet holes on barricade a day after terrorists attacked Pakistan Stock Exchange. Photo: EPA-EFE

“This plan, we have no doubt, was perpetrated by India,” Khan told parliament.

Pakistan has long blamed India for funding the Balochistan separatist movement and other groups.