Pakistan accuses RAW of plotting to kidnap its officials

Islamabad: Pakistan has accused India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) of plotting to kidnap Pakistani officials in the coming weeks, according to media reports.

The security agencies have told the government that India wanted to kidnap some Pakistani officials to be in a position to bargain for the release of alleged RAW officer Kulbhusan Yadav who was arrested in March, reports said.

Read: Pakistan claims arrest of yet another RAW agent in Balochistan

Security officials said RAW was working with Afghan National Directorate of Security (NDS) and plotting to target Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.

Yadav, who was allegedly New Delhi’s chief spy for Balochistan and Karachi operations, was caught by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) at Pak-Afghan border after a long-drawn catch operation codenamed ‘Blue Bird.’

The arrested spy is the biggest catch in the history of counter-espionage of Islamabad and New Delhi. The two intelligence agencies, RAW and NDS, can also make bids to kidnap officers from the air force and navy, said the intelligence report. Interior ministry officials confirmed the information but declined to share any details.

Read: Indian’s arrest is a Pak Army ploy

Earlier, Yadav told interrogators that he had very “specific” instructions from his top bosses that said, “Keep Balochistan and Karachi burning. Paralyze the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the seaports of Pakistan.”

The Indian foreign ministry had confirmed the arrested man was member of its naval corps but said he was a retired officer – a claim which Pakistan is not ready to accept following his shocking disclosures.