The office of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been implicated in orchestrating killings in Pakistan, according to revelations shared with the Guardian by operatives from intelligence agencies in both India and Pakistan. These sources allege that the Research & Analysis Wing (RAW), which operates under the direct oversight of Modi’s office, initiated these actions to target and eliminate terrorists residing in foreign nations. This strategy, as reported, saw the foreign intelligence body of India adopting a more assertive stance on national security concerns, especially after the year 2019.
This isn’t the first allegation of India engaging in such activities abroad. Previously, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pointed to “credible allegations” regarding India’s involvement in the assassination of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The United States also reported preventing an assassination attempt against another Khalistani figure, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
One notable incident includes the killing of Paramjit Singh Panjwar, leader of the Khalistan Commando Force, in Lahore, Pakistan, in May 2023, followed by the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada in June 2023. The focus of the Guardian’s report, however, is on over 20 killings in Pakistan attributed to RAW’s covert operations since 2020. This marks the first occasion where Indian intelligence officials have openly discussed these alleged assassinations in Pakistan, with detailed evidence of RAW’s involvement being brought to light.
Further details emerged about the operational tactics used by India, including the establishment of sleeper cells, primarily in the United Arab Emirates, which were reportedly responsible for orchestrating the killings. These cells are said to have hired local criminals or impoverished Pakistanis for millions of rupees to execute these assassinations, with a notable increase in such deaths since 2023. Additionally, there were instances where jihadists were misled into believing they were targeting “infidels.”
The Guardian’s coverage also highlights the Pulwama attack in 2019 as a pivotal moment that intensified RAW’s focus on terrorists located outside India. An intelligence officer shared that the attack led to a strategic shift towards pre-emptive strikes against threats originating from foreign soils, necessitating approvals from the highest government echelons.
Inspiration for these operations was partly drawn from the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, with Indian intelligence officials acknowledging the influence of methods used by other nations’ agencies, such as Mossad and the KGB, in conducting extrajudicial killings.
Pakistani intelligence officials suspect India’s hand in approximately 20 assassinations on their soil since 2020, basing their suspicions on a range of evidentiary materials, including witness statements, financial transactions, and digital communications. These documents, although reviewed by the Guardian, have not been independently verified. The targeted killings, mainly executed by gunmen at close range, have purportedly seen a significant uptick in 2023.
One detailed account involves the assassination of Zahid Akhund, also known as Zahoor Mistry, a convicted terrorist, in Karachi in March 2022, illustrating the meticulous planning and execution of these operations by RAW operatives across various locations, including Nepal, the Maldives, and Mauritius.
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