India’s intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), has been accused of orchestrating a covert assassination campaign targeting individuals in Pakistan, according to a report by The Washington Post.
The report alleges that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seen as India’s most assertive leader since independence, is driving these cross-border actions, marking a new and dangerous phase in the ongoing shadow conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
A Pattern of Targeted Killings
One high-profile incident cited in the report is the assassination of Amir Sarfaraz, widely known as “Tamba,” in Lahore in April 2023. Sarfaraz, a former prisoner implicated in the 2011 murder of an Indian intelligence officer, was gunned down by motorbike assailants.
Pakistani authorities claimed the attack bore the hallmarks of Indian involvement and tied it to a broader pattern of targeted killings that escalated significantly after 2021.
Modi’s Modus Operandi: Dubai Links and Covert Funding
Investigations by Pakistani and Western intelligence officials point to a sophisticated network allegedly operated by RAW. This network reportedly relies on intermediaries in Dubai who coordinate with local criminals or Afghan nationals to carry out these operations. Payments are funneled through informal banking systems such as hawala, ensuring anonymity and minimal traceability.
The Washington Post report also highlights that RAW’s murder-for-hire tactics, initially refined in Pakistan, have since been deployed against dissidents in Western countries.
India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval’s past remarks appear to align with this strategy. In a 2014 speech, Doval advocated for covert operations against Pakistan, stating, “We can defend ourselves by going to the place from where the offense is coming. Pakistan’s vulnerability is many, many times higher than India’s.”
A History of Escalating Shadow Operations
The allegations of India’s covert assassination program are not unprecedented. In 2012, V.K. Singh, an Indian Army general, reportedly led operations involving small-scale bombings in Pakistan. These operations included an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Kashmiri militant leader Syed Salahuddin, as per a former Indian official.
The report underscores how this shadow war between India and Pakistan has intensified, with both nations increasingly leveraging covert means to advance their strategic goals. As tensions mount, such covert operations risk escalating the already volatile relationship between the two neighbors, raising regional and global security concerns.
