Pakistan says evidence shows Indian agents masterminded killings on its soil

Both the nuclear-armed countries have fought three wars since independence from Britain in 1947.

Muhammad Syrus Qazi, the secretary, told reporters the killings involved a “sophisticated international set-up” spread over a number of places.

“We have documentary, financial and forensic evidence of the involvement of the two Indian agents who masterminded these assassinations,” he said.

Pakistan-China warplane deal puts India under pressure to modernise air force

Qazi said local operators, hired and recruited by the Indian agents operating in other countries, carried out the killings late last year, one in Sialkot district and another in Rawalakot in Pakistan-held part of Himalayan region of Kashmir.

Hired guns and other people involved in the two crimes were on trial, he added and identified the alleged Indian agents as Yogesh Kumar and Ashok Kumar. He said the other countries where the Indian agents allegedly operated had been notified.

Those killed were identified as Shahid Latif and Mohammad Riaz by the foreign secretary, without disclosing who these people were and why would New Delhi got its agents to kill them inside its arch-rival’s territory.

03:15

Canadian PM says authorities investigating ‘credible’ links to India on Sikh leader’s murder

Canadian PM says authorities investigating ‘credible’ links to India on Sikh leader’s murder

The alleged Indian network of “extrajudicial and extraterritorial killings” had become a global phenomenon, he said.

Pakistan’s allegations come months after both Canada and the US separately accused Indian agents of being linked to assassination attempts on their soil.

India has rejected Ottawa’s allegations and has opened an investigation into US allegations.

Ties between the two rivals have been on ice since a suicide bombing of an Indian military convoy in Kashmir in 2019 traced to Pakistan-based militants that led to New Delhi sending warplanes to Pakistan.