At a rally in the Pakistani city of Karachi, at least 39 people were injured in a grenade explosion. This was reported on August 5 by the local newspaper Dawn.
It is noted that the event was organized by the Jamaat-e-Islami organization banned in the Russian Federation on the occasion of the first anniversary of India’s abolition of the special status of the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir, which Pakistan claims.
Police said two men on a motorcycle threw a grenade near the main truck at the rally. Most of the victims were slightly injured, only one is in critical condition. In addition, the explosion shattered the windows of nearby vehicles.
Responsibility for the incident was claimed by separatists from the “Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army”, the newspaper writes.
Since the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947, the settlement in the state of Jammu and Kashmir has remained a major problem in their relationship.
The majority of the region’s population is Muslim. Local separatists advocate the independence of the state or its annexation to neighboring Pakistan (in this area there is no official border between the states, they are separated only by the line of control).
On August 5, 2019, Indian President Ram Nath Kovind signed a decree abolishing Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which secured the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Before the presentation of the document, 8,000 servicemen were sent to the territory. Three local politicians were arrested.
Against the backdrop of the situation, Pakistan decided to recall the head of the diplomatic mission from India, as well as to expel Indian diplomats from the country.