2 'Indian spies' arrested in Pakistan

Pakistan security forces have arrested two "Indian spies" from an area along the Line of Control in Gilgit-Baltistan and the duo has been handed over to the police, a media report said on Saturday.

A video of two youth from north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, who had been missing since 2018, has surfaced on social media showing both two in police custody in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (POK).

Wahid Bhat | Srinagar

Feroz Ahmad Lone, 29, son of Abdul Rahim Lone and Noor Mohammad Wani, 24, son of Late Muhammad Mushtaq Wani, both residents of Achoora village in Gurez, had gone missing in November 2018 following which Feroz’s family had filed a missing report at the local police station in Gurez.

According to Dawn Newspaper Gilgit SSP Raja Mirza Hassan produced the alleged spies before the media at a press conference.

He said the duo belonged Kashmir forcibly sent to Pakistan for spying. They were arrested soon after they crossed the LoC in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Kashmiri duo confesses to have been used by Indian intelligence officials. They said the Indians had scared and tortured them to force them to work for them against Pakistan.

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Dawn reported a blindfolded Feroz says he was working as a labourer in “Brigade camp” Gurez after completing his B.A in 2011 he had been earning his livelihood as a labourer after completing graduation. “In 2014, I met Noor Mohammad in Gurez area through a third person named Rauf. Later Rauf arranged our meeting with some Indian intelligence officials,” Lone said.

“The officials convinced us to work for them and told us that we will go to Pakistan by crossing LoC. We were not ready to work for them but they threatened us that if we did not do so, they will kill us and our families,” Lone said.

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“If we go to Pakistan, the Indians said, they will financially help our families,” he said. “Then we became ready to work for them. They gave us Rs100,000 and said that we would be paid Rs1 million after completing our mission.”

However Family members of the two youth from Gurez area of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, who were arrested in Pakistan on the charges of spying Saturday appealed the Prime Minister’s of India and Pakistan to ensure release of their sons on humanitarian grounds.

The parents of the two youth arrested in Gilgit area of Pakistan, by the army there, said that their children can never be spies as they were ordinary citizens and earning their living on day to day basis by working in fields and for other construction works.

Pakistan army yesterday released a video showing two Kashmiri youth—Feroz Ahmed Lone son of Abdur Rahim Lone and Noor Muhamamd Wani son of late Mushtaq Ahmed Wani, both residents of Achoora, Gurez, Bandipora, under its custody. In the video, the duo is seen confessing that they were sent to Pakistan by the Government of India for spying.

In a video appeal, Abdur Rahim Lone, the father of Feroz, 29, said his son went missing in 2028 and they had even lodged a missing complaint at the concerned police station. “Yesterday, I came to know that he has been arrested by the Pakistan army for the charges of spying there and for working for the Indian agencies. I want to say here that my son is not a spy and he should be set free on humanitarian grounds,” said Lone, urging Prime Minister Narendera Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan to release his son and other youth on “humanitarian grounds.”

Bashir Ahmed Wani, the uncle of another youth Noor Muhammad Wani, said that he had to adopt his nephew 20 years ago, after his parents died. “My nephew would earn his livelihood by working in fields and by working as a labourer. Since 2015, he would go out of his home for day job and return after a week and even sometimes after a month and even more,” he said, while releasing a video message to seek release of both his nephew and another youth Feroz.

Bashir said that his nephew had to quit studies mid-way and to earn his livelihood.

“Yesterday, I was shocked to see him surrounded by Pakistan army along with another youth Feroz in a vedio where they are saying they were sent by GoI to Pakistan for spying. I think, they were forced to make such statement,” Bashir said. “My nephew doesn’t even know the meaning of spying. Both of them were never involved in any anti-national activity so far. I didn’t even file any missing complaint about my nephew as I thought he might be working somewhere to earn some money Local News agency KNO reported.”

Bashir made a fervent appeal to Prime Minister Narendera Modi and Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan to release both the youth on humanitarian grounds without any further delay.

“We are hopeful that Pakistan government would have accept our appeal and release both the youth forthwith,” Bashir said.

Reported By Wahid Bhat, He is a Journalist based in Jammu and Kashmir.

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