"The Guardian" newspaper reported on Thursday that the Indian government orchestrated targeted killings in Pakistan as part of its broader strategy to eliminate wanted terrorists residing on foreign soil. Citing information from intelligence operatives of both India and Pakistan, the report claims to have obtained documents shedding light on alleged operations conducted by India's foreign intelligence agency to carry out assassinations abroad.
The operations, according to the report, were conducted following an emboldened approach to national security by India after 2019. The allegations suggest that India targeted individuals it deemed hostile to its interests. The report links these claims to nearly 20 killings since 2020, carried out by unknown gunmen in Pakistan.
While India had previously been informally associated with these deaths, this report marks the first instance of Indian intelligence personnel discussing alleged operations in Pakistan. Detailed documentation allegedly implicates India's Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) directly in these assassinations.
The individuals targeted were reportedly charged with violent terror offenses. Previous accusations against India's intelligence agency were made by Islamabad when Muhammad Riaz and Shahid Latif were killed in Pakistan in 2023. India swiftly rejected these allegations as "malicious anti-India propaganda."
According to Pakistani investigators cited in the report, these deaths were allegedly orchestrated by Indian intelligence sleeper cells, primarily operating from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These cells purportedly engaged local criminals or impoverished Pakistanis to carry out the killings, often paying them significant sums of money.
Furthermore, Indian agents were accused of recruiting jihadists to execute the shootings. The report suggests that the Pulwama attack in 2019, carried out by the Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed, triggered a shift in India's approach towards targeting elements outside its borders preemptively.
In response to queries, India's Ministry of External Affairs denied all allegations, reiterating previous statements that they were false and malicious propaganda. The ministry emphasized External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's denial that targeted killings in other countries were not part of India's government policy.
The report also details specific instances of alleged involvement by R&AW handlers, including payments for information leading to targeted individuals and orchestrating shootings. Despite denials from Indian authorities, the report paints a picture of covert operations conducted on foreign soil with significant implications for regional security.
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