Two Pakistani Spies Caught Red-Handed Spying

Abid Hussain and Tahir Khan, two suspected ISI trained intelligence gathering officials, were caught red-handed spying, by police officials on Sunday. They were both working under the guise of visa assistant at the high commission in Chnakyapuri.

They were caught while meeting up with their contact in Delhi, while trying to gather intel regarding the Indian Army and Railways. Tahir Khan has been staying in the country for four years as he came to India in 2016, while Abid Hussain joined him last year, in 2019. Two days ago joint operation by Mumbai Police Crime Branch and Military Intelligence team of J&K busted a Pakistani spy network in Mumbai, Maharashtra. One person was arrested and illegal SIM boxes and parallel exchanges were seized.

They were given 48 hours to leave the country, after being caught for using fake identities and for gathering sensitive national information.There might come retaliation from Pakistan’s side, against Indian High Commission Officials posted in Pakistan.

A senior police officer gave a statement, in which he said, “He was actively pursuing officers and middle run employees luring with money and in some cases honey trap them using social media accounts. The details regarding Indian officials to be contacted were shared by his senior in Pakistan. Personal social media account of government officials in India were monitored very closely.

The Ministry of External affairs issues a statement in which they said, “Pakistan’s Charge de Affaires was issued a demarche in which a strong protest was lodged with regard to the activities of these officials of the High Commission of Pakistan against India’s national security. Pakistan’s Cd’A was asked to ensure that no member of its diplomatic mission should indulge in activities inimical to India or behave in a manner incompatible with their diplomatic status.”.

Both Abid Hussain and Tahir Khan were declared as Persona non grata by the government, as they violated the rules of diplomatic exchange in the country. This is not the first time an occurrence of this sort has been observed. In 2016, Akhtar Mahmood, a Pakistani national was busted for running a spy racket, and was working in the Visa section of the High Commission in New Delhi.

This current incident might fuel up tensions between the two countries. During the pandemic crisis, the economy has taken a sharp turn towards bottom. India has been engaging in a rift with all its neighboring countries in the past few weeks. Another striking incident might stir up major problems for India.