Pakistan warns Iran of serious consequences after airspace violation kills two children

Explosion in Quetta Injures Nine, Including Children; Authorities Investigating.

Quetta bleeds. A locally made explosive device detonated near the Civil Secretariat and Commissioner Office on Quetta’s Zarghoon Road, causing injuries to at least nine individuals, including a traffic policeman and four children. The blast occurred in a garbage dump under a bridge, as confirmed by the Senior Superintendent of Operations. The injured children were reportedly ragpickers.

Commissioner Quetta Division Muhammed Hamza Shafqaat urged citizens to avoid Zarghoon Road for the next few hours in a post on social media. Authorities are actively conducting investigations to determine the circumstances and perpetrators behind the blast.

Despite Pakistan’s significant efforts in the war against terrorism, there has been a notable increase in terror attacks in 2023, with outlawed groups remaining active. The recent Corps Commander Conference expressed concerns over the presence of sanctuaries for proscribed groups, such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, in a neighboring country and the terrorists’ access to sophisticated weaponry.

More From Daily The Destination: Deadly blast hits police vehicle in Tehsil Mamond, Bajaur

The government and security forces continue their commitment to ensuring the safety and security of citizens, with ongoing efforts to address the challenges posed by militant activities.

Balochistan minister says violation of Pakistani sovereignty by Iran ‘damages relations’

Caretaker Balochistan Information Minister Jan Achakzai Wednesday said the violation of Pakistani sovereignty by Tehran “damages relations” between Iran and Pakistan.

“The enemy forces are trying to intervene externally in Pakistan, especially in Balochistan. The enemies will never succeed in their plans,” the minister said.

The minister’s comments came during a presser in Quetta where he spoke in the wake of a drone and missile attack by Iran on ‘militant bases’ near its shared border with Pakistan late on Tuesday. The attack, however, resulted in the death of two innocent children and injured three girls.

Islamabad, on the other hand, has strongly denounced the strike, terming it “unprovoked and “completely unacceptable”, warning Iran of serious consequences after Tehran violated its airspace.

“Pakistan strongly condemns the unprovoked violation of its airspace by Iran which resulted in death of two innocent children while injuring three girls,” Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in a statement.

Ackazai maintained that the Pakistani government and security agencies are fully prepared to establish peace and order in Balochistan. “We are capable of fully countering hostile forces everywhere.”

Meanwhile, former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif said he was “shocked at the Iranian breach of Pakistani sovereignty”.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president wrote: “This missile attack is against spirit of our friendship and principles of good neighbourliness, especially as it undermines the historic relationship between our two countries.”

The former premier insisted that conducting sincere dialogue and meaningful cooperation between Iran and Pakistan was the need of the hour. He also offered condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in the attack.

It should be noted that Iran offered no immediate official comment but its state-run Nour News agency said the attack destroyed the Pakistan headquarters of a terrorist group, which it has blacklisted after they carried out several attacks on Iranian soil in recent years.

The strike came after Iran launched missile attacks on “spy headquarters” and “terrorist” targets in Syria, and Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region.

The Iranian strikes add to multiple crises across the Middle East, with Israel waging a war against Hamas in Gaza and pro-Palestinian Houthi rebels in Yemen attacking commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

Iran violates Pak airspace

Pakistan strongly condemns the unprovoked violation of its airspace by Iran which resulted in death of two innocent children while injuring three girls,” Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in a statement.

Iranian state media claimed that it had targeted the bases of a terrorist organisation in Pakistan with drones and missiles and destroyed the headquarters of the said terrorist group.

The Pakistani area targeted is called “Green Mountain”, as per Iranian state media.

The foreign office spokesperson termed this violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty as completely unacceptable and could prompt serious consequences.

Baloch said it is even more concerning that this illegal act has taken place despite the existence of several channels of communication between Pakistan and Iran.

“Pakistan’s strong protest has already been lodged with the concerned senior official in the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran,” the spokesperson noted.

Additionally, she said, the Iranian Charge d’affaires has been called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to convey a strong condemnation of this blatant violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and that the responsibility for the consequences will lie squarely with Iran.

“Pakistan has always said terrorism is a common threat to all countries in the region that requires coordinated action. Such unilateral acts are not in conformity with good neighbourly relations and can seriously undermine bilateral trust and confidence,” the spokesperson added.

Separately, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched missile attacks on multiple “terrorist” targets in Syria and in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, earlier in the day, as per state media.

The attacks destroyed “a spy headquarters” and a “gathering of anti-Iranian terrorist groups” in Arbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, the official IRNA news agency reported, quoting a statement by the IRGC.

Four people were killed and six others wounded in the attack, according to Iraq’s Kurdistan security council.

The United States condemned the attacks as “reckless”, warning they undermine stability.