Indian hand in terrorism activities

Over the years, the Indian intelligence agency RAW’s involvement in terrorist activities in Pakistan has been proven beyond a shadow of doubt. According to available data, terrorism cases carried out by RAW agents during the 1990s included car bomb explosion in the Saddar area of Peshawar on December 21, 1995, which caused death of 37 persons and injured over 50 others; an explosion at Shaukat Khanum Hospital on April 14, 1996, claiming the lives of seven persons and injuries to over 34 others; a bus traveling from Lahore to Sahiwal blown up at Bhai Pheru on 28 April, 1996, causing the deaths of 44 persons on the spot and injuring 30 others; an explosion in a bus near the Sheikhupura Hospital that killed nine persons and injured 29 others on May 8, 1996; an explosion near Alam Chowk, Gujranwala, on 10 June 1996, which killed three persons and injured 11 others; a bomb that exploded on a bus on the GT Road near Kharian on  June 10, 1996, killing two persons and injuring 10 others; on June 27, 1996, an explosion opposite to Madrassah Faizul Islam, Faizabad, Rawalpindi, killing five persons and injuring over 50 others; a bomb explosion in the Faisalabad Railway Station passenger lounge on July 8, 1996, that killed three persons and injured 20 others. The list has only grown over the years.

Former foreign secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry had categorically declared in 2015 that RAW was involved in various terrorist activities across Pakistan. Chaudhry added that the matter had been taken up a number of times at the highest level with India through diplomatic channels.

In 2016, Pakistan conveyed to the United States that India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) were patronising terrorists groups to attack soft targets in the country. National Security Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Nasser Khan Janjua conveyed the message to US Ambassador David Hale in a meeting following the terrorist attack on the Police Training College, Quetta, counter-terrorism operations and cross-border attacks. Janjua emphasised on the need to break the nexus between terrorists groups operating under the supervision of NDS and RAW.

It is known to all that after separating East Pakistan, RAW tried to destabilise Pakistan and separate the Balochistan province from it. The efforts targeting Balochistan still continue. Indian proxies in Balochistan are involved in sabotage activities, target killings against the state institutions. For example, a bus attack in Mastung left 22 people dead in 2015. It was traced to the United Baluch Army, an Indian proxy.

In Feb 2014, the Indian NSA Ajit Doval had warned Pakistan of losing Balochistan. Christine Fair of RAND Corporation, who is known for her anti-Pakistan views, admits that "Indian officials have told me privately that they are pumping money into Balochistan".

The arrested Indian spy, Kulbhushan Yadav, confessed to carrying out subversive activities in Balochistan, and admitted that he was directly involved in the deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi. Yadav also confessed to RAW’s involvement in funding the Mehran base attack among other subversive activities.

DG Intelligence Bureau (IB) Aftab Sultan, while speaking in the Senate standing committee meeting,had confirmed last year that a large number of terrorists arrested during the last three years had connections with and were working for the Indian and Afghan intelligence agencies. “Out of the 865 terrorists arrested during the last three years, a significant number had connections with India’s RAW and the Afghan NDS,” the IB chief was quoted to have said.

The present spate of attacks, from Peshawar to Lahore to Sehwan, have been once again traced to the NDS-RAW nexus, which is very much visible on the radar.