PESHAWAR: Security forces on Tuesday claimed to have arrested two individuals working for Indian intelligence agency RAW from Parachinar in Kurram tribal agency.
The alleged Indian agents were reportedly arrested on September 19, but presented in front of the media today.
The alleged RAW agents were arrested after an intelligence based operation (IBO) was carried out by security agencies.
Read: Muharram terror bid foiled as four ‘RAW-linked men’ arrested from Karachi: SSP
“During investigation the arrested individuals have confessed to working for the Indian agency RAW,” said Shahidullah, Assistant Political Agent of Kurram agency.
He further added that the arrested individuals were involved in terrorism related activities and sectarian attacks in Kurram agency.
“We also recovered $300 and INR178,000 from them, including uniforms of the armed forces,” stated the assistant political agent of Kurran tribal agency.
Last week, Dawn newspaper reported that two alleged agents of the Indian intelligence agency RAW were arrested at Wagah.
Earlier in August, law enforcement agencies had claimed to have arrested four suspects linked to India's RAW spy agency Lahore.
The military’s top brass in May accused RAW of supporting terrorism in Pakistan. A previous ISPR statement on a meeting of the Corps Commanders held at the General Headquarters said: “The conference also took serious notice of RAW’s involvement in whipping up terrorism in Pakistan.”
While RAW has been blamed by Pakistani authorities in the past, it is unusual for a corps commanders’ conference to directly point fingers at the hostile intelligence outfit.
Also read: RAW instigating terrorism, says army
In private conversations military officers say that besides Balochistan, RAW’s footprints have been found in Fata and Karachi. Confessional statements of some criminals they had arrested recently, they said, point towards RAW’s growing activities. To support their claim they also refer to a statement made by Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval almost a year ago about the Indian strategy to weaken Pakistan by promoting terrorism and separatism.
Earlier this year, however, the government decided to take a tougher approach towards India and forcefully raise its concerns over alleged Indian involvement in acts of terrorism in the country. The change had been forced by Delhi’s continued terrorism allegations for building a narrative that India was a victim of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.