The Indian government is accused of orchestrating targeted assassinations in Pakistan as part of a broader strategy aimed at eradicating terrorists residing on foreign soil, as per a recent report released by The Guardian.
According to the report, which draws on insights from intelligence officials from both nations and information shared by Pakistani investigators, India’s foreign intelligence agency purportedly began carrying out assassinations abroad following an enhanced approach to national security post-2019.
While India has refuted the allegations put forth in the report, Pakistan has yet to provide an official response. Nonetheless, Foreign Secretary Syrus Sajjad Qazi had indicated during a news conference on January 25 that there exists “credible evidence” linking Indian agents to the assassination of two Pakistani individuals in Sialkot and Rawalakot.
The report from The Guardian suggests that these actions by Indian intelligence personnel point towards a wider policy of eliminating individuals deemed hostile to India. Notably, India has been previously accused by the United States and Canada of involvement in the murders of dissident activists.
Connecting the dots, the report highlights nearly 20 killings carried out by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan since 2020 and sheds light on Indian intelligence personnel’s direct participation in these operations, especially through the Research Analysis Wing (RAW).
The targeted killings supposedly included Sikh separatists associated with the Khalistan movement, both within Pakistan and abroad. The report indicates that Indian intelligence sleeper cells, primarily based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), were responsible for orchestrating these assassinations.
In the aftermath of the 2019 Pulwama attack, which India attributed to Pakistan and resulted in the deaths of numerous security personnel in held Kashmir, Indian intelligence refocused its efforts on countering dissidents outside its borders to prevent potential threats.
These intelligence operations allegedly required approval from the highest echelons of the Indian government and drew inspiration from renowned intelligence agencies such as Israel’s Mossad and Russia’s KGB.
While India denies The Guardian’s report, citing it as “false and malicious anti-India propaganda”, the allegations made within the report resonate with suspicions harbored by officials from two separate intelligence agencies in Pakistan, who suspect India’s involvement in up to 20 killings post-2020.
The claims made in the report are based on evidence from undisclosed inquiries into seven cases, revealing intricate details about the operations conducted by Indian spies to eliminate targets within Pakistan. These allegations include witness testimonies, arrest records, financial statements, WhatsApp messages, and passports, although they have yet to be independently verified.
Overall, the report suggests a significant increase in targeted assassinations in 2023, with India being accused of being behind the suspected deaths of approximately 15 individuals who were reportedly shot at close range by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan. The payments made to perpetrators were allegedly facilitated through Dubai, and meetings between RAW handlers overseeing the operations took place in various international locations.
The Guardian’s findings align with data collected by analysts tracking unclaimed militant killings in Pakistan, indicating a correlation between the reported killings and the alleged Indian involvement.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has vehemently denied the claims made in The Guardian’s report, reiterating that targeted killings in foreign nations are not a part of India’s official policy, as previously stated by Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
