New Delhi: Pakistan has often accused India of fomenting instability and even terrorism in the restive province of Balochistan, with frequent claims of Indian currency, weapons and ‘agents’ being spotted in the region. Therefore, when the Baloch home minister announced on Thursday that an Indian navy officer had been caught near the Chaman border with Iran, the report was noted, but not taken seriously.
This morning, after Pakistan foreign secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhury summoned the Indian high commissioner in Islamabad Gautam Bambawale to issue a démarche to convey its “protest and deep concern” at what it termed as the “illegal entry into Pakistan by a RAW officer”, the situation took a more serious turn.
Chaudhary alleged that the “RAW officer” was involved in “subversive activities in Balochistan and Karachi”.
RAW, for ‘Research & Analysis Wing’, is India’s external intelligence agency.
In a rather unusual response, India not only acknowledged that the arrested man was an Indian national, but also that he is a former military officer. However, the ministry of external affairs spokesperson denied allegations that he was a spy for the Indian external intelligence agency. “The said individual has no link with government since his premature retirement from Indian Navy. We have sought consular access to him,” said MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup. He added that India has “no interest in interfering in [the] internal matters of any country and firmly believes that a stable and peaceful Pakistan is in the interest of all in the region”.
Though more details are likely to emerge in the days ahead, this is what The Wire has gathered so far from the Pakistani media reports and Indian officials.
What Pakistan says and doesn’t say
1. The former Indian navy man was arrested from the Chaman border near Afghanistan, though some media reports claim he entered Pakistan from Iran. If indeed he entered from Iran, that would place him in southern end of Balochistan near the Makran coast, rather than up north near Quetta and Chaman. Why would he enter from end and travel through an insurgency-wracked province to reach Chaman when it would be more easily accessible from Kandahar in Afghanistan?