India condemns terror attacks in Pakistan
New Delhi, July 15 : India has strongly condemned the latest series of terror attacks in poll-bound Pakistan that have claimed over 150 lives.
"Three tragic terrorist attacks have hit the people of Pakistan within a short span of 3-4 days," the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement late on Saturday.
"More than 150 innocent people have lost their lives and hundreds have been injured," it stated.
Stating that "more disturbing is the fact that these attacks took place on election rallies, essential to the democratic process", it said: "India has always condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We strongly condemn these attacks and extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families."
A number of bombings at political rallies over the past one week have shattered peace in Pakistan ahead of the July 25 polls, with the latest in the string being a devastating suicide attack in Balochistan on Friday that killed at least 132 people.
Amid intensified election campaigning, attacks in different areas of the country have stoked fear of more violence.
Provincial authorities said the suicide bomber on Friday detonated in the middle of a compound in Mastung's Darengarh area where a political meeting was in progress.
The Pakistan government has declared Sunday as a day of national mourning over the attacks in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The attack in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Friday left four dead and nearly 40 injured.
On July 10, ANP candidate from Peshawar, Haroon Bilour, and 19 others were killed in an attack targeting the party's election meeting.
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Kharge expresses regret over 'illiterate' remark, says he has highest of respect for Gujaratis
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New Delhi (PTI): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday expressed regret over his controversial statement calling the people of Gujarat "illiterate", and said he has always had and will continue to have the highest of respect for the people of the state.
In a post on X, the Congress president said, "Some remarks of mine in a recent election speech in Kerala are being deliberately misinterpreted. Even so, I express my sincere regret.
"It was never my intention to hurt the sentiments of the people of Gujarat for whom I have always had and will continue to have the highest of respect."
Kharge on Sunday had sparked a row during his Assembly poll campaign in Kerala, calling the people of Gujarat "illiterate" and claiming they were being "fooled" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
At the same time, Kharge said neither Modi nor Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan could fool the people of Kerala, describing them as "very clever and educated".
"Don’t misguide the people of Kerala. They are very clever and educated. Modiji, Vijayan, you both can fool people who are illiterate in Gujarat or other places, but you cannot fool the people of Kerala," the Congress chief had said.
He made the remark while alleging that both Modi and Vijayan were following the same path, with no difference between them except the parties they lead.
The BJP on Tuesday had demanded an apology from Kharge for his remarks, saying that the comment was "shameless, demeaning and utterly despicable."
Addressing a press conference here, senior BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad asked Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to clarify whether they agreed with Kharge's statement.
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