New Delhi, Jun 22 (IANS): Pakistan is using its diplomatic missions, particularly in London to "fund and foment" anti-India hate campaigns. The role of the Pakistan High Commission in London, primarily of a colonel rank officer of Pakistan Army posted as an advisor there, has come to light, a report of the Indian intelligence agency reveals.
The colonel is assigned the task of re-uniting splinter groups of pro-Khalistan Sikhs, operating from Britain, Germany, the Netherlands and some other countries of Europe.
At the behest of Pakistan's spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the colonel has been instrumental in funding Khalistan groups, including Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) which has an office in London.
India's premier anti-terror agency NIA has found the ISI's role in execution of a series of drone operated arms dropping incidents inside Indian territory through a pro-Khalistan terror kingpin Gurmeet Singh Bagga.
Reports say that Bagga, based in Germany's Hamburg, has links with Khalistani militants operating from Britain and the US including Gurpatwant Singh Pannu of SFJ.
The colonel, who works under a senior official of Pakistan Navy posted at High Commission, has been a key person in organising several anti-India protests at the Indian High Commission office in London.
ISI-backed Khalistani groups have attacked several Indians outside the Indian High Commission office, near Bush House in London in March 2019. Later it was found that SFJ organised the attack with help of the Overseas Pakistani Welfare Council, backed by the ISI and the Pakistan High Commission.
Pannu and his close aides have been frequent visitors to the Pakistan High Commission, located at Lowndes Square.
As per Intelligence reports, several meetings of SFJ office bearers and the Colonel rank officer have been held at this office in past one year relating to anti-India campaign "Referendum 2020" in a bid to garner support of the Sikh diaspora in US, Canada and Europe. However, the ISI's plot to rekindle the Khalistan movement has not been supported by Sikhs around the world.
This is not for the first time, that misuse of its diplomatic missions by Pakistan have come to fore. The ISI has been misusing diplomatic missions in Nepal, Bangladesh and a few Middle East countries for pushing an anti-India agenda including trafficking of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN).
Last year, a huge FICN racket was unearthed in Kathmandu, where three Pakistan nationals, who have links in the Pakistan Embassy in Nepal, were arrested. In Bangladesh, the Pakistan High Commission's Second Secretary, Farina Arshad was expelled after her links with a terror outfit came to light, a few years ago. Report says Arshad, operating on behalf of ISI, was also involved in sheltering smuggling gangs involved in pushing FICN into India.
Sources in the Indian intelligence agency said that in wake of escalating Sino-Indian tension over border issues, ISI has been pro-actively backing Khalistani groups to foment anti-India campaigns. The ISI has also set up an office for SFJ in Karachi to facilitate its activities relating to Referendum 2020. The Indian government has banned SFJ for its anti-India hate campaign and sheltering people involved in terror attacks in India.