Dhaka attack: Pakistan denies reports of involvement as 'irresponsible and provocative'

Islamabad: Pakistan on Monday rejected media reports about its involvement in the terrorist attack in Bangladeshi capital Dhaka that killed 20 foreigners including an Indian as “baseless, irresponsible and provocative”. Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria issued a statement in response to media queries regarding reports of the involvement of Pakistan’s spy agency ISI in last week’s terror attack on a popular restaurant in Dhaka. [caption id=“attachment_2873038” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Bangladeshi policemen clear out an area to facilitate action against heavily armed militants who struck at the heart of Bangladesh. AP[/caption] “These are highly regrettable, irresponsible and provocative stories being carried in the Indian media. They are utterly baseless and unfounded. Pakistan strongly rejects such allegations,” he said in the statement. He drew attention to the statement by the Adviser to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Gowher Rizvi, refuting a media report that was attributed to him regarding Pakistan’s involvement in the attack, as proof of the Indian media’s “malicious intent”. “Prof Rizvi contacted Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh to confirm that he has not issued any statement against Pakistan and that the Indian media reports are false. He also advised Pakistan’s High Commissioner to convey this clarification to the Government of Pakistan, to avoid any misunderstanding between the two countries,” the Foreign Office spokesman said. He said Pakistan deeply appreciates Rizvi’s timely rebuttal of the reports. Zakaria said Pakistan has strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Dhaka and “expressed solidarity with the government and the brotherly people of Bangladesh and offered condolences and sympathised with the families of the victims”. “Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Being itself one of the biggest victims of terrorism, Pakistan welcomes Prof Gowher Rizvi’s call for international cooperation to fight the menace of terrorism,” he said.