NEW DELHI
The “leaked” “Pakistan’s intelligence report” claiming that the Indian agency RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) is collaborating with local criminals and dissidents to kill and attack individuals designated as terrorists on Pakistani soil by India is nothing but a load of rubbish and a bundle of lies. This is how diplomats in New Delhi react to the “leaked” intelligence report published by the western online media platform, the “Intercept”. Officials in the diplomatic establishment here see it as part of a larger conspiracy to defame India by anti-India elements that have been hyperactive in Pakistan and other foreign countries including China over the past one decade. “The report has been leaked by Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI which cannot be trusted in any manner,” a diplomatic source told The Sunday Guardian.
Diplomats point out that the whole world is aware that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has long promoted terrorism against India. “It is the same agency which harboured Osama bin Laden and gave safe havens to Taliban to fight the US troops in Afghanistan,” a source said. Apart from this, it is the ISI—which is in cahoots with the Chinese—which has been giving shelters to notorious Khalistani terrorists. There is a lot of evidence to establish how the Pakistani intelligence agency has been behind all acts of terror perpetrated against India from territory under Pakistan’s control, a diplomatic official told this newspaper, adding, “How can a report leaked by this Pakistani spy agency be believed?” An official said, “Even the US has substantial inputs on how ISI orchestrated the killing of terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada to strain the ties between New Delhi and Ottawa.” There were reports that ISI had hired criminals to kill Nijjar. Moreover, intelligence inputs from various European nations and the US have revealed that the Sino-Pak nexus has resulted in the providing of funds to intensify Khalistani activities in Canada. Sources say that inputs had been shared with the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF), revealing that the Pakistani spy agency, with China’s backing, provided funds to some top Khalistani leaders in order to accelerate anti-India activities.
Diplomats here are of the view that the ISI planted this leaked report in the Pakistan media with a motive to divert the international community’s attention from its own misdeeds across the region. According to sources, some anti-Indian elements within the US system having their own lobbies are also active and they are extending their support to the Pakistani spy agency and other elements working against India in other foreign nations such as Canada and China.
Sources said that the media report claiming that the US authorities thwarted a conspiracy to assassinate Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil and issued a warning to India’s government over concerns it was involved in the plot, was also part of a disinformation campaign by these Sino-Pak elements. “The false information about the US issuing warning to India over this plot was a conspiracy by these elements to strain ties between New Delhi and Washington,” a diplomat said. India’s Ministry of External Affairs categorically said that it had received “some inputs” from the US during a recent discussion on security matters about a nexus between organized criminals, terrorists and others. MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi made it clear, “During the course of recent discussions on India-US security cooperation, the US side shared some inputs pertaining to nexus between organised criminals, gun runners, terrorists and others. The inputs are a cause of concern for both countries and they decided to take necessary follow up action.” A source said, “This is the actual news, and report about the US warning India is being spread at the behest of vested interests and anti-India elements.”
The so-called revelation by Pakistani media claiming that “India hired individuals to kill several Sikh and Kashmiri activists” living in Pakistan is the handiwork of the Sino-Pak elements to defame India, diplomatic sources said. Some individuals on India’s list of wanted terrorists have been killed by unknown gunmen in Pakistan, source said, dismissing the report falsely claiming India was sending “death squads”. According to sources, the individuals who have been killed are wanted terrorists who have been in Pakistan for years. Now they did not serve any purpose to the Pakistani establishment, so ISI eliminated them, sources added.
Pakistan has exposed itself by increasing the security of individuals designated as terrorists by India. “Islamabad has been denying the existence of these elements on Pakistan’s soil. And now it is giving security to the same individuals,” said an official, adding, “it amounts to admission by Pakistan that the criminals and terrorists wanted by India are present there, and the Pakistani establishment is protecting the terror elements. Therefore, the world community must take note of this.” The officials in diplomatic and security establishments have rubbished reports suggesting the existence of any “death squads” as has been alleged in the leaked report.