Military blames India for recent terrorism spike
2025-04-30
ISLAMABAD: Military spokesman Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Tuesday accused India of activating its `assets` to intensify terrorist attacks in Pakistan, presenting `irrefutable evidence` of Indian state-sponsored terrorism, directed by the Indian military personnel.
Lt Gen Chaudhry was speaking at a press conference convened to show `how India is executing` terrorism inside Pakistan and said terrorism was the `basic thing` in the ongoing tense phase of ties between the neighbours. Pakistan and India downgraded ties after tensions spiked in light of the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, in which 26 people were killed.
`It has been seven days since the Pahalgam attack, yet not a single shred of evidence has been provided to substantiate the baseless allegations levelled against Pakistan, Gen Chaudhry said.
Based on intelligenceavailable with the Pakistani security agencies, he claimed India had activated its terror networks to carry out attacks inside Pakistan.
`...they tasked all their assets, terrorists operating in Balochistan, and we have credible intelligence for that, the Fitna-al-Khawarij (the state`s term for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan) and the independent terrorist cell like one presented today to increase their activity,` he said.
He specifically cited the killing of 54 TTP fighters described as the largest ever in a single incident during a recent cross-border attack attempt from Afghanistan. He said the attack by the T TP`s largest formation, or `Tashkeel`, was `sponsored, facilitated, and abetted by India`.
India`s terror network Gen Chaudhry provided details of Abdul Majeed, a Pakistani terror suspect allegedly trained by India, who was arrested last Friday (April 25) and linked to one of the terror net-works. `We will present to you how India has been found to operate a terror network inside Pakistan in which explosives, IEDs (improvised explosive devices) and other materials are being provided toterrorists to target not only military but also innocent civilians,` he said. He added that the evidence could be examined by any independentagency.
According to Gen Chaudhry, Majeed was apprehended from a bus terminal in Jhelum, where he was planning to carry out an attack. `An IED, two mobile phones, and Rs70,000 were recovered from him,` he said.
Investigations revealed that the network he was a part of included four Indian military personnel in addition to Majeed. These Indian operatives were part of Indian military intelligence.
Majeed was allegedly recruited by Major Sandeep, an officer stationed in India-occupied Kashmir. His handler was identified as Subedar Sukvinder, a junior commissioned officer (JCO) of the Indian Army. Major Sandeep and Subedar Sukvinder were said to have tasked and guided Majeed. Other network members included Havildar Amit, also known as Adil Aman, and an unidentified Indian soldier.
Intercepted conversations between Majeed and his handlers were also played during the briefing and a timeline of Majeed`s activities and the funds he received was also shared. Majeed is accused of involvement in four sabotage attempts, including a botched one.
The first IED was delivered to Majeed last September in Parnala, Bhimber district. He used it to attack a military vehicle on Oct 13 in Pir Kanthi, Bagh district, injuring three Pakistan Army soldiers. He received Rs180,000 for the attack.
The second IED was delivered on Nov 22 near Head Marala. The drone used in the operation crashed, andits wreckage was retrieved by Majeed. He later used the device to attack a military vehicle in Jalalpur Jattan, resulting in four `casualties.` For this, he received Rs656,000.
On March 18, Majeed planned a third IED attack near Kotli. He became cautious after observing troop movements in the area. The following day, local schoolchildren discovered andreported asuspiciouspackage.
Two IEDs were recovered from the site.
Following the recovery, Indian media falsely claimed that five bombs had been discovered in occupied Kashmir, which Gen Chaudhry dismissed as `blatant propaganda.` The fourth IED was delivered near Nadala on April 22. Majeed was instructed to target a bus station in Barnala or Bhimber, but he instead suggested Jhelum due to higher passenger traffic.
`While he was in Jhelum to do this nefarious act of terrorism, he was apprehended bylaw enforcement agencies, Gen Chaudhry said. `What`s this happening? And they are serving officers, serving JCOs, serving NCOs. This is what you call state-sponsored cross-border terrorism,` he added.
`Credible evidence` In a late night statement, Federal Minister for Information Atta Tarar warned that India intended to launch military action against Pakistan.
Using the baseless allegations levelled in the wake of the Pahalgam attack as a justification, India could try to launch an incursion within the next 24-36 hours, he said.
The international community should realise that India would solely be responsibility for any destruction in the case of a conflict, he said.
Separately, Pakistan Mission to the United Nations on Tuesday said the country had `credible evidence` proving that the Jaffar Express attack was `externally sponsored by its regional adversaries`, according to a press release.
As per the statement, Pakistan possessed `credible evidence establishing that the attack on the Jaffar Express passenger train in which at least 30 Pakistani nationals were slain and dozens taken hostage was externally sponsored by its regional adversaries`.