Pakistan on Tuesday released a video in which an arrested Indian spy is heard confessing New Delhi’s alleged involvement in terrorist activities in Balochistan.
Kulbushan Yadav says in the video that he had been directing various activities in Karachi and Balochistan “at the behest of RAW”, the Indian intelligence agency, and that he was still with the Indian Navy.
Yadav added that he had played a role in the deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi, Dawn reported.
The video was released at a press conference attended by Pakistan Army spokesman Lt Gen Asim Bajwa and Information Minister Pervez Rashid.
Terming Yadav’s arrest a “big achievement”, Bajwa said Yadav was directly handled by the RAW chief and Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.
“His goal was to disrupt development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), with Gwadar port as a special target,” Bajwa said.
“This is nothing short of state-sponsored terrorism… There can be no clearer evidence of Indian interference in Pakistan.”
Yadav is heard saying in the video that he was still a serving officer in the Indian Navy and would be due for retirement in 2022.
“By 2002, I commenced intelligence operations. In 2003, I established a small business in Chabahar in Iran.
“As I was able to achieve undetected existence and visits to Karachi in 2003 and 2004. Having done some basic assignments within India for RAW, I was picked up by RAW in 2013 end,” Yadav said.
He said his purpose was to meet Baloch insurgents and carry out “activities with their collaboration”.
Law enforcement agencies arrested Yadav in an intelligence-based raid in Balochistan’s Chaman near the border with Afghanistan last week. He held a valid Indian visa.
India denied Yadav was an intelligence operative and said he was formerly from the navy. New Delhi also demanded consular access to Yadav, which has been denied.
Yadav was shifted to Islamabad for interrogation, during which an unnamed official said the spy revealed he had bought boats at the Iranian port in Chabahar in order to target Karachi and Gwadar ports, Dawn reported.
India on Tuesday dismissed, as baseless, remarks made by an alleged Indian spy in a video released by Pakistan in which he “confessed” New Delhi’s alleged involvement in terrorist activities in Balochistan.
“We have seen a video released by Pakistani authorities of a former Indian naval officer, doing business in Iran, who is in Pakistani custody under unexplained circumstances,” the external affairs ministry said in a statement.
“The video has this individual making statements which have no basis in fact. That the individual claims to make the statements of his own free will not only challenges credulity but clearly indicates tutoring,” it said.