A new boomb blast in central India yesterday has threatened to derail the still tenative talks between rivals India and Pakistan. Described as the first terrorist attack in India since the 2008 Mumbai assault, the blast killed nine people at a local bakery, including one unidentified foreigner.
While the Indian government has avoided laying blame before completing an investigation, many are already attributing the attack to Pakistan-based terrorists such as LeT. One leader of India’s Hindu nationalist BJP party has cited the bombing as proof that the India-Pakistan talks are premature and should be abandoned. India’s official response to the attacks has been to increase its police presence accross the nation, including positng police commandos in the nearby Osho Ashram. As India raises its guard, Pakistani officials have condemned the attack and reiterated their committment to the bilateral talks. India may be pointing their finger at American terrorist suspect David Headly. As the blame-game develops, the future of the talks remain unclear.
Read more at Dawn.com, The Stateman, Times of India, The Washington Times.
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