ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Monday strongly rejected Indian media reports alleging Pakistan’s involvement in the recent Dhaka attack in which 20 foreigners were killed.
In a statement, FO Spokesman Nafees Zakaria termed the allegations baseless and the reporting of such stories in Indian media “highly regrettable.”
A section of India media had reported that Bangladesh Information Minister Hasanul Haq and Adviser to Bangladesh Prime Minister Gowher Rizvi blamed Pakistan and its intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) for the attacks.
“These stories are utterly baseless and unfounded. Pakistan strongly rejects such allegations,” the FO spokesman added.
Bangladesh police sought more information on Monday from friends and family of the men suspected of carrying out a deadly attack, which was claimed by Daesh.
It was one of the deadliest militant attacks to date in Bangladesh, where Daesh and Al-Qaeda have claimed a series of killings of liberals and religious minorities in the last year while the government says they were carried out by local groups.
Whoever was responsible, Friday’s attack marked a major escalation in the scale and brutality of militant violence. Daesh posted pictures of five fighters it said were involved in Friday’s atrocity to avenge attacks on Muslims across the world.
Posts on Facebook identified the men, pictured on a Daesh website grinning in front of a black flag, as Nibras Islam, Rohan Imtiaz, Meer Saameh Mubasheer, Andaleeb Ahmed and Raiyan Minhaj.
Most went to prestigious schools or universities in Dhaka and Malaysia, officials said.
“A majority of the boys who attacked the restaurant came from very good educational institutions. Some went to sophisticated schools. Their families are relatively well-to-do people,” Bangladeshi Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu told India’s NDTV.
Several posts on social media said the man identified by police as Nibras Islam attended Monash University in Malaysia. A friend who knew him while he studied at Dhaka’s North South University told Reuters that Islam later went to Monash.
Two others went to an elite public school in Dhaka called Scholastica. Masudur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Dhaka police, said officers were investigating those links.
Pakistan rejects allegations of involvement in Dhaka attack
Pakistan rejects allegations of involvement in Dhaka attack
Severe floods in southeast Brazil kill at least 25 and force hundreds to evacuate
- Minas Gerais’ fire department says it is searching for 43 people who went missing since late Monday
- Officials have warned residents to stay away from areas that could be prone to mudslides
JUIZ DE FOR A, Brazil: Severe floods in southeastern Brazil have killed at least 25 people and left dozens missing in the state of Minas Gerais, officials said Tuesday. Meteorologists warned more rain is expected in the region in the next few days.
The torrential rains began Monday in the cities of Juiz de Fora and Uba, about 310 kilometers (192 miles) north of Rio de Janeiro, forcing about 440 residents to evacuate their homes.
Minas Gerais’ fire department says it is searching for 43 people who went missing since late Monday. A video shared by the department showed flooded streets in Juiz de Fora and Uba, where a river veered off its course.
Officials have warned residents to stay away from areas that could be prone to mudslides.
Juiz de Fora is a city of 560,000 residents, while neighboring Uba has 107,000, according to Brazil’s statistics agency.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on his social media channels that security forces are working on the rescue and providing immediate assistance to the population affected by the rain.
Brazil’s meteorology institute Inmet said in a statement that more rain is forecast for the region, which lies close to hills, valleys and slopes.
Juiz de Fora City Hall said in a statement the city experienced double the rain expected for February. Mayor Margarida Salomão said earlier at least 20 landslides were reported.
Firefighter Demetrius Bastos Goulart, 47, said rescue efforts will be slow and lengthy. “It is a high volume (of mud) in the landslides, we have to work with a lot of precision to avoid any damage to potential victims,” Goulard told The Associated Press.
