RAW agent was posted at Chabahar

Kul Bhushan’s passport bears Iranian visa; Indian HC summoned, strong protest lodged; India admits alleged spy as its citizen, seeks consular-level access, denies his link with any govt dept

ISLAMABAD: Kul Bhushan Yadav, the alleged agent of Indian Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), arrested in Balochistan on Thursday by the Pakistan armed forces was appointed at the Iranian port city Chabahar as his passport bore the Iranian visa.

On Friday, Pakistan summoned the Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale to lodge a strong protest against the illegal activities of the Indian spy in Pakistan.The accusation could raise tension between Pakistan and India.

“Pakistan conveyed its protest and deep concern over the illegal entry into Pakistan by a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) officer and his involvement in subversive activities in Balochistan and Karachi,” the Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement, referring to the message conveyed to India’s ambassador.

Meanwhile, according to sources, India has admitted that Kul Bhushan Yadav is its citizen and sought consular level access. However, India denied that he had some link with any of the government departments.

Pakistan believes India is supporting a separatist insurgency in Balochistan. It also accuses India of fuelling strife in Karachi. India denies any such meddling.

India has long accused Pakistan of backing militants fighting Indian security forces in its part of the divided Kashmir region, of helping militants launch attacks elsewhere in India and backing the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Pakistan says it only offers diplomatic support to the Muslim people of Kashmir living under what Pakistan says is heavy-handed Indian rule. It denies backing militant attacks in India.

A Pakistani military official in Balochistan said that the suspected RAW spy was an Indian Navy officer. Another Pakistani official gave the same information. Both declined to be identified as they were not authorised to give details of the incident to the media.

One of the officials said the suspected spy had been moved to Islamabad for interrogation.Balochistan Interior Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti told reporters that the arrest “proved Indian involvement” in his province.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Zia’s (PML-Z) chief Ijazul Haq said that Pakistan should raise the matter of Indian involvement at the United Nations (UN) to stop the RAW activities in the country.

Talking to newsmen here outside the Parliament House, he said the arrest of an Indian spy from Balochistan was not a new thing saying he had been raising this issue since 2006. He said India had been involved in terrorist activities in Fata and other areas of the country and it had set up 14 consulates in Afghanistan that were being used against Pakistan.

To a question, he said the visit of Iranian president to Pakistan would help in boosting the economic and trade activities between the two countries. It was a good omen thatactivities between the two countries.

It was good omen that international sanctions had been removed from Iran, he said. Both the countries, he said, should now work on gas pipeline project and trade activities. To another question he said nepotism and politics in national cricket team were responsible for its bad performance in World T20 matches which caused embarrassment to the whole nation.

Meanwhile talking to newsmen MQM[s MNA Asif Hasnain said civilian government of Pakistan should raise the matter of Indian involvement in Pakistan at international level after arrest of its spy from Balochistan. 

To a query he said the Iranian president’s visit would help promote regional trade and economic activities as the international sanctions from Iran had already been removed. Meanwhile talking to newsmen MQM[s MNA Asif Hasnain said civilian government of Pakistan should raise the matter of Indian involvement in Pakistan at international level after arrest of its spy from Balochistan.

To a query he said the Iranian president’s visit would help promote regional trade and economic activities as the international sanctions from Iran had already been removed. Meanwhile, former prime minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali said that Pakistan should bluntly talk to India to stop the involvement of RAW in Pakistan.

Talking to newsmen about Indian spy’s arrest from Balochistan here outside the Parliament House, he said the people of Balochistan were simple and honest who kept informing the departments concerned about such elements. -