QUETTA: Law enforcement agencies claimed on Thursday that they had arrested an officer of the Indian Navy, deputed on assignment to its spy agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). Official sources said that the suspect was arrested in an intelligence-based raid in Chaman, a town in Balochistan near the border with Afghanistan.

Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti confirmed the arrest, saying that the suspect was shifted to Islamabad from Quetta on Thursday.

“Law enforcement agencies have arrested an Indian Navy officer who was working as an agent for RAW in the border area of Chaman,” Mr Bugti told Dawn, adding that the raid was conducted on information provided by intelligence agencies.

The home minster identified the suspect as Bhoshan Yadav, an in-service officer of the Indian Navy, who was “currently deputed on assignment to RAW in Balochistan”. “Yadav was working as an agent of the Indian intelligence agency,” he said, adding that he was arrested three days earlier.

The home minister said that during the initial interrogation, the suspect had disclosed his links with a banned religious organisation and admitted to his involvement in targeted killings and other acts of subversion.

“RAW had tasked Mr Yadaw to contact militants working for sectarian and separatist organisations in Balochistan,” Mr Bugti said, adding that the suspect also provided funding and training to militants in Afghanistan before sending them to Balochistan to carry out acts of terrorism.

The home minister said the arrest proved that RAW was involved in terrorism and was helping militants hostile to Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2016