The covert war

• Expanding an enduring and entrenched conflict

The Kulbhushan Jadhav episode is an altogether new chapter in the history of spy war between India and Pakistan. Jadhav was arrested by Pakistan authorities and charged with subversive activities in Balochistan and Karachi and sentenced to death by a military court When Jadhav appeared on a Pakistani television insisting that he was still a commissioned officer of the Indian navy, this implicated the Indian RAW in his activities. India denied his still being on the Indian navy’s pay role but a respectable Indian journalist who interviewed 10 diplomats and intelligence and naval officials from three countries has now concluded Jadhav may still be a serving navy officer

The indulgence by spies in terrorist activities which can kill hundreds of people is a dangerous development. This amounts to state sponsored terrorism. Much earlier when another Indian spy Sarabjit Singh was arrested in 1990 on charges of carrying out four bombings in Faisalabad, Multan and Lahore killing 14 Pakistani citizens, this was supposed to be an aberration.

Cold War, the golden period of spying, followed strict rules. The Soviet and the American spies concentrated on stealing industrial and military secrets. There was also a race to find out the other sides’ plans in order to foil them before they could be put to use. Indulging in terrorist activities was unheard of. Both Pakistan and India have tried their hand at conventional spy activities. Ravinder Kaushik, an Indian agent, got a law degree from Karachi University, joined the Pakistan army as Nabi Ahamad Shakir and was over time promoted Major but his cover was blown by another Indian spy when under investigation. The man was arrested and died behind the bars. On Thursday Indian law enforcers arrested an IAF Group Captain who was honey trapped to rout classified information through Facebook and WhatsApp.

But with Doval’s concept of defensive offence, Balochistan has become the target of sub-conventional warfare with RAW playing an active role. Reportedly since 2013, India has secretly built up a covert action programme against Pakistan. There is a need on the part of both India and Pakistan not to involve agencies in terrorism