A recent report by The Guardian alleges that the Indian government was behind the killings of nearly 20 individuals in Pakistan, whom intelligence officials deemed as threats to national security. These killings were purportedly part of India’s strategy to eliminate terrorists residing on foreign soil. The Guardian claims to have seen documents related to these incidents but could not independently verify them. However, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has refuted these allegations, dismissing them as false and malicious propaganda against India. Indian officials, including S Jaishankar from the MEA, have consistently denied any involvement in such killings, stating that targeted killings in other countries are not part of India’s policy.
The Pakistani government has also been hesitant to disclose all data publicly regarding these killings, as they involve known terrorists and individuals associated with outlawed militant groups that Pakistan denies sheltering. The report suggests that India’s Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) was responsible for these killings, targeting individuals such as Khalistani separatists operating abroad. RAW allegedly collaborated with sleeper cells in the United Arab Emirates to carry out these operations. However, these killings reportedly decreased after Canada and the USA openly accused the Indian government of involvement in the assassination of Khalistani separatists on their soil.
India is said to have intensified these measures following the Pulwama attack before the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections. An Indian intelligence operative quoted by The Guardian stated that the approach shifted to targeting elements outside the country to prevent them from launching attacks or causing disturbances. India purportedly drew inspiration from intelligence agencies like Israel’s Mossad and Russia’s KGB, which have been accused of similar operations abroad.
Among the individuals allegedly targeted by India are convicted Kashmiri terrorist Zahid Akhund, Jaish-e-Mohammed commander Shahid Latif, Hizbul Mujahideen commander Bashir Ahmad Peer, Saleem Rehmani (on India’s most-wanted list), Khalistani leader Paramjit Singh Panjwar, and Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Riyaz Ahmed.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reportedly informed their Parliament about India’s involvement in the assassination of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, while Washington stated that India was behind the thwarted assassination attempt of another Khalistani separatist, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
