Renowned international newspaper claims Indian government responsible for killing wanted terrorists on Pakistani soil

The Indian government allegedly orchestrated the killings of individuals in Pakistan to eradicate wanted terrorists, as per ‘The Guardian’. The report reveals that nearly 20 killings since 2020 were carried out by unknown gunmen, with Indian intelligence personnel allegedly involved.

The London-based daily claims that India’s foreign intelligence agency carried out these operations as part of a heightened national security approach post-2019. The fresh allegations point towards a shift in targeting individuals considered hostile to India, with specific focus on those charged with violent terror offences.

In 2023, when Muhammad Riaz and Shahid Latif were killed in Pakistan, Islamabad accused India’s intelligence agency of being behind the acts. India denied the allegations, dismissing them as “malicious anti-India propaganda”. The report detailed alleged operations in Pakistan orchestrated by Indian intelligence sleeper cells, primarily based in the UAE.

The rise in killings in 2023 was attributed to increased activity of these cells, allegedly paying local criminals in Pakistan to carry out the assassinations. Indian agents reportedly also recruited jihadists to conduct shootings. The actions were said to be triggered by the Pulwama attack in 2019 by Jaish-e-Mohammed, prompting a strategy to target elements outside India before they could launch attacks.

In response to queries, the Ministry of External Affairs denied all allegations, reiterating that targeted killings in other countries were not the government of India’s policy. The report highlighted instances where Indian agents allegedly paid for information on identified terrorists and paid significant sums to carry out the killings. Pakistani investigators uncovered transactions believed to be payments to the killers from Dubai.

Overall, the report by ‘The Guardian’ sheds light on alleged Indian involvement in targeted killings in Pakistan, sparking fresh controversy and raising questions about cross-border intelligence operations. The Ministry of External Affairs maintains that these claims are false and baseless, emphasizing a denial of any such operational policy by the Indian government.