UN chief Guterres condoles Delhi car explosion

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condoled the Red Fort car explosion in Delhi, urging a full investigation. He also condemned the Islamabad suicide attack. India rejected Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif’s claims linking the attacks, calling them baseless.

United Nations: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has condoled the loss of lives and injuries in the car explosion near Red Fort in New Delhi and stressed on a full investigation into the incident, his spokesperson said.

“We also, of course, send our condolences to the government and people of India for what has happened there, and that also needs to be fully investigated,” the Secretary General’s Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said at the daily briefing on Tuesday when asked about the explosion in Delhi that killed 12 people and injured many more Haq was asked about the suicide bombing in Islamabad as well as the car explosion in New Delhi.

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In a more lengthy response to the suicide attack in the Pakistan capital, Haq said, “What I can say is the secretary general is deeply saddened by the reported suicide attack, and he extends his condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a full recovery to those injured.”

“The secretary general condemns acts of violence and terrorism at the strongest terms. He reiterates that all perpetrators of terrorism must be held accountable, and he calls for a full investigation,” he added.

A suicide bomber on Tuesday detonated his explosives near a police vehicle outside a court in Islamabad, killing at least 12 people and wounding 36 others, officials said.

Hours after the suicide attack, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accused groups “active with Indian support” of being involved in the strike.

India unequivocally rejected as baseless Sharif’s allegations linking the terror attack in Islamabad to New Delhi, and said it is a predictable tactic by “delirious” leadership of that country to “concoct” false narratives.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the international community is well aware of the reality and will not be misled by Pakistan’s “desperate” ploys.