Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has been employing individuals under the influence of drugs or posing as mentally disturbed to infiltrate India and deliver critical messages to incarcerated terrorists, according to a report by PTI. Security agencies have detected more than 10 such cases since July this year, involving Pakistani nationals entering India from Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Modus Operandi of ISI
Speaking to news agency PTI, officials saidthese infiltrators serve as couriers tasked with relaying crucial communication to jailed terrorists in Indian prisons. These individuals often exhibit unusual behavior and provide superficial details during questioning, raising suspicions among security personnel. Interrogations reveal that they are trained to resist intense questioning, suggesting the involvement of high-level handlers.
An official explained, “The use of mobile phones and the internet leaves electronic footprints. To avoid this, ISI appears to have adopted these unconventional tactics, relying on human couriers instead.”
Among the reported incidents, individuals apprehended in Jammu, Punjab, and Rajasthan prisons are believed to be part of this larger network. Notable cases include:
The Minor from Attock: In July, a minor from Pakistan’s Attock district was intercepted in Punjab. Security personnel found a damp paper with Arabic writing in his possession, though it was illegible.
Bijnour Incident: A Pakistani national from Bijnour village in Rajasthan, posing as mentally disturbed, revealed during questioning that he had been hired by Pakistani drug lords Sarfaraz Johiya and Nawaz to smuggle narcotics into India and gather intelligence on Border Security Force (BSF) deployments.
Mohammed Asad: In another case, Mohammed Asad, a youth from Lahore, drove to the India-Pakistan border on his motorcycle and awaited arrest by the BSF. Initially claiming a family dispute over his girlfriend, officials suspect Asad acted as a courier.
Shahid Imran: In October, a 31-year-old man identified as Shahid Imran entered India via the Jammu sector, claiming he wished to visit a Kali temple to get married. Officials are investigating his true intent.
The ISI’s reliance on couriers is not new. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, it exploited the Samjhauta Express, the rail link between India and Pakistan, to smuggle drugs and funds for terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. This practice, facilitated by so-called “sawari operators,” ended with the suspension of the train service in February 2019 after heightened tensions between the two nations.
Officials note that the recent tactics bear a striking resemblance to these past methods. “The ISI is revisiting old strategies with new adaptations to evade security forces,” said a senior official.
Infiltrators are typically booked under the Foreigners Act and Passports Act, which carry prison terms of two to eight years. Following their sentences, they are deported. Authorities are now seeking extended custody for many of these individuals to probe deeper into their connections and handlers.
The ISI’s infiltration tactics are closely tied to drug smuggling operations, which provide financial support for terrorist networks. Security forces remain on high alert, coordinating efforts to counteract these emerging threats.
The cases underscore the evolving strategies of cross-border espionage and the need for vigilance along India’s borders. As an official summarized, “This is not just about individuals crossing over; it’s a calculated effort to destabilize India’s security framework and aid terrorist networks.”
