Pak's ISI waging proxy war, wants to project Punjab as disturbed state: DGP

Chandigarh, Dec 31 (PTI) Pakistan's spy agency ISI is waging a proxy war as it wants to project Punjab as a “highly disturbed” state by sending arms and ammunition through drones and pushing for incidents like grenade attacks, Punjab Police chief Gaurav Yadav said on Wednesday.

However, police are giving a befitting reply to thwart any nefarious designs by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) from across the border, DGP Yadav said at a press conference here.

Replying to a question, Yadav said that arms, ammunition and explosives are being pushed into Punjab, a border state, from Pakistan using drones.

“A proxy war is going on. (Pakistan Army Chief) Asif Munir is aggressive... But India is giving a befitting reply.

“Their (Pakistan’s) attempt is to disturb Punjab. Therefore, they are sending arms through drones. Their masterminds are sitting in North America, Europe, Southeast Asia and Gulf countries,” the DGP said.

To a question on grenade attacks targeting police stations in Punjab, Yadav said Pakistan wants to disturb peace in the border state.

“Separatism did not get any support here because Punjabis are non-radicalised. They (Pakistan) want to disturb peace in Punjab as separatism has no support here. We keep thwarting their nefarious designs,” the DGP said.

Such is the desperation that when nothing happens, a claim is made on social media that a grenade attack took place, he said.

“They (Pakistan) hatch a conspiracy to project Punjab as a highly-disturbed place,” Yadav said.

“The PIOs (Pakistan Intelligence Officers) are asking people to make fake videos for money. They have a well-thought-out plan to project that there is chaos in Punjab,” he added.

However, Yadav said, all the incidents related to grenade attacks on police stations have been tracked and the modules have been busted.

Asked if the ISI was involved in the grenade attacks in Punjab, the DGP said, “There is very clear evidence indicating the active involvement of the ISI. Foreign handlers who are in touch with the ISI are trying to unsettle peace in India, especially in Punjab.

“They are waging a proxy war, a low intensity war by causing incidents to disturb Punjab.” To a question on drones coming from across the border, Yadav said 500 drones were sighted this year of which 263 were downed.

“Some drones beat our systems while some return to Pakistan. It is a technological battle, which will continue as long as Pakistan is determined to wage a proxy war,” the DGP said.

Replying to a question on rising firing incidents in the state, Yadav said the national crime rate per lakh population is 450 while in Punjab it is 227, which is 50 per cent of the national average. Haryana's crime rate is 730, he said.

On target killings, the DGP said police trace all such cases.

“(But) the strategic impact of a killing in Punjab may be different from the strategic impact of a killing in Odisha or Madhya Pradesh because ours is a border state. We understand the seriousness of crime,” he said.

Asserting that police meticulously investigate all such cases, he cited the example of the killing of international kabaddi player Sandeep Nangal Ambian in 2022, and said the accused were tracked for two years, which eventually led to their arrest.

“I assure the people of Punjab that in the coming time, we will root out organised crime from the state,” he said.

To a question on how people like dismissed police officer Raj Jit Singh and AAP MLA Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra managed to flee the country, Yadav said the state has taken up the issue of passport issuance, which is not integrated.

“The regional passport offices are not interconnected. They do not talk to each other,” he said.

Giving an example, he said someone gets a passport issued by changing his name from another state and it cannot be cross checked.

Moreover, criminal records are not checked at the national level, the DGP said. “We want a systematic change and the government of India is responsive,” Yadav said. PTI CHS VSD ARI