Pakistan's Propagandist Ploy and the Alleged 'RAW' Official's Video Footage

NEW DELHI: On one hand, when a team from Pakistan has entered India to probe the Pathankot attacks, diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan are witnessing another strain. Pakistan has recently released video footage which purportedly shows the confession of an alleged RAW official. In a recent statement, the External Affairs Ministry stated that “the claim had “no basis in fact” and that there were clear indications of “tutoring.”

The government has categorically rejected the allegation that the alleged person was an Indian spy,and maintained that he was not deployed to Pakistan for participating in subversive activities in Pakistan. In fact, the MEA stated that the man was being harassed for legitimate business with Iran. So, is this Islamabad’s ‘propagandist ploy’ to divert the attention stemming out in its own territory?

The Pakistani media has broadcasted that the man, Kulbhushan Yadav, was a former Indian Naval officer and he was involved in backing the rebels in Balochistan and even played a pivotal role in causing violence in Karachi. The Dawn, a reputed Pakistani newspaper quoted that “His goal was to disrupt development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), with Gwadar port as a special target.” The Indian government has stated that the officer was retired but the Dawn claims that “he would have retired in 2022 and is right now engaged in the establishment of small business in Chabahar in Iran.”

“He converted to Islam and worked at Gadani under the cover of a scrap dealer,” stated military spokesman Lt Gen Asim Bajwa at a recent press conference Information Minister Pervez Rashid. Supposedly, maps of Balochistan were recovered from Yadav’s possession.

Whether or not the allegation is true is still precarious to testify. In spite of the fact that MEA has clarified that the video has been doctored, the emergence of this issue states how mistrust and espionage still rattle the relationship between India and Pakistan. What would happen with the alleged ‘spy’ is still a matter of great concern. Would he be jailed in Pakistan without any evidence or would a fair trial take place? All of this happening when the investigation of the Pathankot terror attacks are taking place buttresses the Indian argument that Pakistan is indulging in propagandist ploys to divert attention on the issue of terrorism.