• Foreign minister warns of increase in terrorist activities in G-B in particular
• DG ISPR says recent upsurge in violence is direct consequence of growing Indian engagement with the banned outfits, sub-nationalists and dissidents
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday unveiled a dossier carrying "irrefutable evidence" of India's state-sponsored terrorism inside the country aimed at destabilising Pakistan, disrupting the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and creating unrest in Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and erstwhile Fata through sub-nationalist elements.
The dossier was presented at a joint news conference by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and the Director General, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar, urging the international community to exert pressure on India to stop state-sponsored terrorism against Pakistan. "The evidences presented by Pakistan provide a concrete proof of Indian financial and material sponsorship of multiple terrorist organisations, including UN-designated terrorist organisations Jammat-ul-Ahrar (JUA), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)," Foreign Minister Qureshi said.
He said that Pakistan was presenting the dossier to the UN, the OIC, the P5 countries of the Security Council, and others.
"We expect the international community to play its role for peace and stability in the region, by compelling India to immediately halt its state sponsorship of terrorism inside Pakistan, and bring to justice all those responsible for supporting and financing terrorism inside Pakistan, according to relevant domestic and international laws," he added.
He pointed out that Pakistan had shared its concerns with major international partners before.
"We are now presenting irrefutable evidence to the world of Indian state's direct sponsorship of terrorism inside Pakistan that has resulted in the deaths of innocent Pakistanis," he said, adding that the international community could no longer turn a blind eye to this rogue behavior by a state, which refused to adhere to international laws and conventions.
"Let me be clear that India is a state sponsor of terrorism that is consistently exhibiting rogue behaviour. If the world does not take the Indian agenda to destabilise and undermine Pakistan in the region seriously, then I am afraid, peace and stability in a nuclear South Asia does not seem to be their priority," Qureshi warned.
He said that Pakistan's valiant law enforcement and security agencies had resolutely fought and won the war against terrorism.
"We know how to defend ourselves. India's efforts to foment terrorism inside Pakistan will not be allowed to undermine Pakistan's stability in any way," he said, adding: "whether they acknowledge or not, all major powers know that India is [a] threat to the entire region".
He said the world community must act to prevent India from its continuous sponsorship of terrorism against Pakistan.
"We reserve the right to defend ourselves in every possible way," he added.
Qureshi said the dossier revealed deepening nexus between Indian intelligence agencies and UN-designated terrorist organisations, including JuA, TTP, BLA, Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), and the Baloch Republican Army (BRA).
He said India had provided funding worth Rs22 billion to these terror outfits in the last three years, adding that it also carried evidence of Indian intelligence agencies' funding and provision of weapons, ammunition and IEDs to target ulema, notables, and police officials in a bid to destabilise Pakistan.
"The dossier contains evidence of India's attempts to undermine the CPEC," he said, adding that a cell under the direct supervision of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was working to sabotage the CPEC.
So far, Rs80 billion has been allocated and a militia of 700 people has been raised to disrupt the CPEC projects, he added.
He said the dossier had exposed Indian plans and attempts to create unrest in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and erstwhile Fata through sub-nationalist elements.
Sharing the evidence carried by the dossier, the DG ISPR said that India embraced all terrorist organisations soon after they were uprooted from Pakistan, and also presented the details of Indian machinations for Pakistan's destabilisation and economic coercion such as funding terrorism, weapons and equipment support to terrorists, terrorist training, and terrorist activities.
He said the recent upsurge in violence in Pakistan was a direct consequence of India's intensified engagements with all brands of terrorists, sub-nationalists, and dissidents operating against Pakistan.
After unification of the TTP with its breakaway factions (JuA and HuA) in August 2020, he added that India was endeavouring to establish a consortium of TTP with proscribed dissident outfits of Balochistan, BLA, BLF, and BRA, which were already united under the banner of BRAS (Baloch Raaji Aajoie Sangar) constituted in 2018.
He revealed that Indian intelligence officer named Col Rajesh, employed at Indian Embassy in Afghanistan, was the master planner, and the letter in Dari revealed that he had already held four meetings with commanders of those terrorist organisations to synergise their efforts, and upscale terrorist activities in metropolitan cities including Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar, in November and December 2020.
"It has also been revealed that Indian intelligence agencies are trying to establish Pakistan's linkage with ISIS by creating "Daesh-e-Pakistan", he said. Recently, he added that 30 Indian Daesh militants were relocated from India to various camps along Pakistan-Afghanistan border by two Indian intelligence agencies operatives.
These militants were handed over to Daesh Commander Shiekh Abdul Rahim alias Abdul Rehman Muslim Dost, he said.
He also unfolded the complete picture of Indian terrorism sponsorship by exposing the nexus of Indian intelligence agencies with terrorist organisations for financing, training, and perpetrating terrorist activities inside Pakistan, and the region.
Funding Terrorism:
The DG ISPR stated that "un-contrivable evidence" reveals that Indian embassies and consulates operating along Pakistan's borders have become hub of terror sponsorship against Pakistan.
"We have verifiable evidence of terrorists funding by India," he said, adding that Indian ambassadors in Afghanistan had been regularly supervising various terrorist activities.
In one such instance, he added that Indian ambassador to Afghanistan and Indian consular in Jalalabad had detailed discussions with collaborators to provide financial support to TTP and dissident Baloch elements.
He said that RAW was financing its front men in third countries, adding that the RAW made two transactions to its cut-out to promote terrorism in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Both transactions have been made through Indian banks, he said, adding that $28,000 was transferred by Punjab Bank India, and the second transaction of $55,851 was made by Manmeet, an Indian national, from Indian Bank, New Delhi, which was received by Afghanistan International Bank.
On another occasion, he added, RAW, while using Indian Embassy in Afghanistan held a number of meetings with TTP commanders, adding that the letter in Dari language [copies of which were displayed on screen] showed that India paid $820,000 to TTP leadership through its collaborators.
For sabotaging the CPEC, the DG ISPR said that India raised a militia of 700 persons to undertake terrorism in Balochistan, adding that a commission comprising 24 members was created, which included 10 RAW operatives, while $60 million were dedicated for the force.
"Indian Embassy had regularly been paying handsome amounts to sub-nationalists under the garb of humanitarian assistance work and Balochistan projects; corroborating evidences of four transactions of US $23.35 million are held with us, however, one evidence is presented in which $5 million was given to a sub-nationalist to cause unrest in Balochistan," he further revealed.
He added that confessional statement of Sarfraz Merchant and Tariq Mir revealed that Altaf Hussain Group (AHG) [MQM-London chapter] used to be funded by RAW through two Indian companies, namely JVGT and Paras Jewellery. The evidence of transfer of $3.23 million from RAW were held, he added.
Weapons and equipment support to terrorists by India:
He said that India had also been rendering support to various entities through provision of weapons, ammunition, and IEDs.
Recently, he added, a RAW-sponsored network of six terrorists had been unearthed, which had linkages with the attack on Pakistan Stock Exchange on 29 June 2020, and was also involved in delivery of suicide jackets to various terrorists groups operating in Pakistan, besides undertaking terrorist activities.
He said that two RAW front men, Abdul Wahid and Abdul Qadir, along with four Afghan terrorists had been exposed.
He said that the network was also involved in target killing of ulema, police officials, and notables, adding that RAW was paying them handsome amounts for undertaking terrorist activities.
He said the security forces had also intercepted a huge cache of suicide jackets, IEDs, explosives, weapons, and ammunition.
"We also have the evidence of RAW providing weapons, ammunition and IEDs to TTP commanders," he said, and also shared the letter in Dari language on the screen, which read that TTP leaders after collecting the weapons came back to their safe locations after crossing the border into Pakistan.
He said that RAW agent was found involved in motivating the tribals in Khyber-Pakhtunkwha to send fighters in Afghanistan for training and the letter in Dari reflected that RAW handler also delivered IEDs and weapons in the bordering areas of Waziristan during his visit.
The DG ISPR further said that India had also been providing weapons and ammunition to Altaf Hussain Group; weapons worth $0.62 million were provided to AHG on one such occasion, he added.
Terrorists Training by India:
He said that India had established multi-purpose base camps, which were being utilised for training, harbouring, and launching of terrorists into Pakistan. Indian intelligence agencies are managing 87 such terrorists' camps out of which 66 are located in Afghanistan whereas, 21 are located in India, he added.
He added that former Indian ambassador and an Indian army general visited Baloch militant training camp in Haji Gak area in Afghanistan.
In another instance, he added that India paid $30 million to establish a camp in area of Sarhad Leva Kandhar for dissidents of Balochistan, adding that RAW was responsible for provision of weapons and ammunition for which four helicopters were also utilised.
He said that Ajmal Pahari confessed that India had established four training camps for AHG militants at Deradhun, Haryana, in North and North-East India.
While the training duration varied from 15 days to four months, he added that it was confirmed that 40 AHG terrorists had received training in India, who used to travel to New Delhi through a third country.
Terrorist Incidents:
Giving details of the few terrorist incidents whose investigations have validated RAW's direct involvement, he said that BLA and BLF launched an attack at PC Hotel at Gawdar on 11 May 2019 in which four terrorists were killed whereas, five innocent people were martyred.
RAW officer Anurag Singh planned the attack wherein $0.5 million was allocated by RAW for the attack, he added. He said that the attacker, Hamal Nawaz, used an Afghan phone no (+93794087914), and he was in contact with an Indian phone number (+916396067562), during the attack.
He further stated that the attack was masterminded by Dr Allah Nazar and Aslam Achoo, adding that both had travelled to India on fake Afghan passports. He said that Achoo was admitted in an Indian hospital, while he travelled under the cover name of Abdul Hamid on a passport having double-entry visa stamped by India.
Nazar also travelled to India on fake documents under the cover name of Haji Nabi who is the main conduit between various BSNs and the RAW handlers.
"17 audio clips of his conversations with RAW handlers while discussing the future operations validate his undeniable connection with RAW. Nazar receives instructions from an officer of Indian intelligence agency," he added.
The investigations of attack on Agriculture University in Peshawar of 26 October of 2017 led to masterminds of the APS attack, he said, adding that RAW had hired three facilitators for planning the attack on the university including Malik Faridoon, who was also involved in the planning of APS attack.
Soon after the APS attack, he said that Faridoon went to Indian consulate in Jalalabad to celebrate, adding that Faridoon also visited India for medical treatment in 2017, where he remained admitted in Primus Hospital.
He said the attackers of Agriculture University were in contact with various Afghan numbers during the attack and live-streamed the videos to their handlers, which were uploaded from Afghan IP addresses.
While meetings of Altaf Hussain with RAW's Chief Ajit Chetorvedi and Vikram Soouthe were validated by Sarfraz Merchant as well as Muhammad Anwar in their statements, recently, he said and added that security forces have discovered RAW affiliated sleeper cell in Karachi.
He said that 13 individuals of the gang had been apprehended and produced in anti-terrorist court whereas, Mehmood Siddiqui, the main accused, who was operating this network, was absconder and residing in India.
Two JITs have been constituted and investigations are underway, he added.
On 11 May 2020, he added that Peshawar police became victim of an IED attack, which resulted in injuries to two police personnel and three others.
The attack was masterminded by two RAW front men, Noor Muhammad and Zabih Ullah, who were found operating from Indian consulate in Jalalabad.
"The busting of network has averted planned future attacks on some important locations," he said.
In June 2020, three RAW front men, namely Haji Habib Ullah, Haji Aziz Ullah, and Haji Bedar, employed by the Indian consulate in Jalalabad tasked six JuA terrorists (three Pakistanis and three Afghan nationals) in Pakistan to identify important personalities for target killings, he said.
"The network has remained involved in various target killings in Peshawar in the past as well and has linkages with the suicide attack at Mardan Judicial Complex in 2016. The investigations are under progress," he added.
On 14 August this year, he stated that Pakistan's intelligence agencies averted a massive terrorist attack planned by India. An Indian intelligence agency's officer, Major Fermin Dass, operating from Kabul, was planning the attack, who had arranged transportation of mines, rockets, and explosives, which have been recovered.
He said the network had already carried out seven terrorist attacks in Hub, Mastung, Quetta, and Sohrab at RAW's behest.
Indian efforts for politicisation of FATF:
While Pakistan remains firmly committed to the forum and our achievements for fulfilling the technical obligations remain unparalleled, he added that India had consistently been endeavouring to politicise the forum for economic coercion of Pakistan.
"Tangible evidence reflects that Indian foreign missions in FATF member countries have always been extensively lobbying with hosts prior to FATF meetings to undermine Pakistan's achievements and create conditions for our grey/blacklisting," the DG ISPR said.
He said that evidence revealed that how extensive lobbying was done from February to April 2018 for downgrading of Pakistan's status, which resulted into our grey-listing in June 2018. Despite India's continuous efforts, Pakistan had come a long way, which had also been acknowledge by the international community, he said.
On the contrary, he added that India needed to be scrutinised at the FATF platform in the light of evidences presented by Pakistan as well as recent revelations made by FINCEN further reveal the fragility of Indian terror financing and money laundering regimes.
Indian interference in AJK:
He said that India was aggressively pursuing clandestine agenda of destabilising the AJK and GB, adding that tangible evidence indicated that RAW was involved in planting of IEDs in AJK to target civilians and military personnel.
He said since January 2016, 60 IEDs were planted, out of which 38 exploded resulting into casualties of 13 civilians, and 46 military personnel whereas, the remaining 22 IEDs were successfully neutralised.
Since January 2019, he stated that Indian intelligence handlers Colonel Pandit Colonel Maaz using numbers +919796840949 and +917051328325 delivered nine IEDs to the miscreants at LoC. The forensic analyses of the IEDs have confirmed use of Indian components, he added.
RAW has also been attempting to establish a network for target killing of important personalities for a reward ranging between Rs50 million and 80 million, adding that a RAW officer, Brig Muneej, had transferred Rs1.8 million to the account of the individual being motivated to undertake target killings.
The money was transferred from a bank of a third country, he said.
RAW's destabilising interference in GB:
The DG ISPR further stated that India had for long been endeavouring to create unrest in GB. In the context of provisional provincial GB status being discussed in Pakistan, he added that an important meeting was held in the Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi, on 28 September 2020, to deliberate upon the methodology to trigger negative reactions. He added that salient revelations of the meeting were: RAW and IB highlighted that they are contemplating subverting perceived changes in status of GB; After November 20, hostile elements will be mobilised to undertake various subversive operations in Kashmir and GB; RAW aims to exploit prevalent event by staging some terrorist attacks on large public gatherings; and assassination of a main-stream/sub-nationalist leader in AJK/GB or religious figure is being planned to arouse public anger.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020