Pakistan has rejected allegations by Indian Home Minister Amit Shah linking Islamabad to the arrest of alleged militants in India, describing the claims as part of what it called a “malicious campaign” against Pakistan.
Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said Pakistan strongly rejected the allegations and accused New Delhi of using anti-Pakistan rhetoric for domestic political purposes.
“Pakistan strongly rejects the allegations made by India’s Home Minister, attempting to link Pakistan with certain arrests in India,” Andrabi said in a statement.
The latest exchange adds to longstanding tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, which have repeatedly accused each other of supporting militant activity and destabilising actions.
India Claims More Than 200 Arrests
According to Reuters, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah said security agencies had arrested more than 200 alleged terror operatives linked to Pakistan during a crackdown across 14 Indian states on August 12, just days before India’s Independence Day.
Shah alleged that those arrested were associated with a group referred to as the Shahzad Bhatti Network and claimed the arrests had prevented planned “subversive attacks”.
Indian authorities have presented the operation as part of broader efforts to prevent potential attacks and address security threats ahead of the national celebrations.
Pakistan, however, has rejected any suggestion that Islamabad was involved in the alleged activities.
Pakistan Accuses India of Propaganda
Responding to the allegations, Andrabi described them as another example of what Pakistan considers an ongoing Indian campaign designed to shift attention away from domestic issues.
According to the Foreign Office spokesperson, blaming Pakistan for security incidents inside India serves political purposes and does not provide evidence of Islamabad’s involvement.
Andrabi also criticised India’s domestic policies, alleging that minorities face repression and dissent is being silenced.
He further accused India of “exporting terror and abetting terrorists”, reflecting Pakistan’s longstanding position that India itself has been involved in destabilising activities beyond its borders.
Islamabad Raises Allegations of Indian Subversion
The Foreign Office spokesperson said that what he described as unfounded Indian allegations could not divert international attention from Pakistan’s accusations against India.
He alleged that India has been involved in state-sponsored terrorism, targeted assassinations and subversive activities in foreign territories.
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Pakistan has repeatedly raised such allegations at international forums and said it has shared evidence that it claims demonstrates Indian involvement in terrorism and destabilising activities inside Pakistan.
India has rejected similar accusations from Pakistan in the past.
Kulbhushan Jadhav Mentioned as Evidence
Andrabi also referred to the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former Indian naval officer whose arrest and conviction in Pakistan have remained a major point of dispute between the two countries.
Pakistan maintains that Jadhav’s case provides evidence of Indian involvement in subversive and terrorist activities inside Pakistan.
India, however, has rejected Pakistan’s allegations concerning Jadhav and has maintained that he was not involved in espionage or terrorism.
The case has also been the subject of proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which issued a 2019 judgment concerning Jadhav’s detention and the consular rights involved in the case.
Pakistan Calls for International Accountability
The Foreign Office said the latest Indian allegations should not be accepted without evidence and urged the international community to examine what Pakistan described as India’s alleged role in supporting terrorism and destabilisation in the region.
“Pakistan urges the international community to reject baseless Indian allegations and hold India accountable for its state-sponsored terrorism in the region,” Andrabi said.
The exchange highlights the continuing mistrust between Islamabad and New Delhi, with both sides regularly trading accusations over terrorism, security and cross-border activities.
For now, Pakistan has firmly denied any connection to the arrests announced by Indian authorities, while India’s allegations remain part of a broader and highly contentious security dispute between the two countries.
