One of the accused men, Ashok Kumar Anand, has emerged out of the shadows to speak exclusively to India Today TV and strongly refute the allegations against him.
Currently residing in Dubai, Ashok Kumar Anand is a businessman.
advertisement"I had no idea about this," Anand told India Today TV.
There, he accused India of orchestrating a campaign of "extra-territorial and extra-judicial killings."
Qazi specifically named Ashok Kumar Anand and Yogesh Kumar as the culprits behind the killings of Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Riaz Ahmed alias Abu Qasim and Pathankot attack mastermind Shahid Latif.
Tensions between India and Pakistan flared anew earlier this year when Islamabad accused Indian intelligence agency RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) of assassinating two high-profile Pakistani figures.
One of the accused men, Ashok Kumar Anand, has emerged out of the shadows to speak exclusively to India Today TV and strongly refute the allegations against him.
Currently residing in Dubai, Ashok Kumar Anand is a businessman. He denied any connection to Indian intelligence. He maintained his innocence, stating he was working in Dubai when news of the accusations broke.
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"I had no idea about this," Anand told India Today TV. “I was at my office in Dubai when I got calls from friends and relatives in India that my name’s appearing on TV. I told them I had no clue what was going on and there was no truth to the claims whatsoever.”
Anand confirmed that the photo and passport circulated by Pakistani media are his, but insists he is simply a businessman with no ties to RAW.
"These allegations are false and unfortunate. I’m a simple businessman but now I’ve been getting threatening calls,” he said.
The Pakistan government’s bid to “defame” him by sharing his personal details had left him compromised and in fear for his well-being, Anand said.
“I came back from Dubai because I was scared, now I’m waiting to see what will happen next. Some of my friends told me that maybe the ISI [Pak spy agency] will follow me and I would land in trouble,” he said.
PAKISTAN’S ACCUSATIONS
In January 2024, Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi, held a press conference in Islamabad. There, he accused India of orchestrating a campaign of "extra-territorial and extra-judicial killings."
Qazi specifically named Ashok Kumar Anand and Yogesh Kumar as the culprits behind the killings of Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Riaz Ahmed alias Abu Qasim and Pathankot attack mastermind Shahid Latif. He claimed to have "credible evidence" linking them to the murders, but offered no specifics.
INDIA’S STRONG REBUTTAL
Unsurprisingly, India vehemently rejected Pakistan's claims. The Ministry of External Affairs called the accusations "peddling false and malicious anti-India propaganda."
It pointed the finger back at Pakistan, labelling it a "centre of terrorism" and suggesting Pakistan was attempting to deflect blame for its own problems.
Published By: Devika Bhattacharya Published On: Apr 8, 2024
