US declines to comment on India's involvement in killing of Pakistani nationals

• Indian agents are linked to murder of two Pakistani nationals.
• The US State Department refuses to respond to question.
• Pakistan demands India be held accountable for actions.

KARACHI: The US State Department on Thursday declined to comment on India’s involvement in the murder of two Pakistani nationals in Sialkot and Rawalakot in 2023.

Foreign Secretary Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi made the revelation earlier today in a press conference, where he said that Shahid Latif was assassinated outside a mosque in Sialkot on October 11 while Muhammad Riaz was “assassinated during Fajr prayers inside a mosque in Rawalakot on September 8.

He said that the law enforcement agencies have apprehended the target killers involved in the assassination attempts and the investigations confirmed New Delhi’s hand into these murders.

When asked for a response comment on the pressing matter, a US State Department spokesperson declined to comment.

“I would refer you to Pakistani authorities on this and have nothing further to add,” the official said in an email response to Geo.tv.

“Today, Pakistan said that they have arrested Indian agents allegedly involved in the killing of two Pakistani nationals on its soil in a similar fashion as a Sikh leader was assassinated in Canada,” he was asked. The query had also mentioned the Indian attempts to assassinate a US national on its soil.

However, the government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi rejected Ottawa's allegations and has launched an investigation into Washington’s claims.

Revealing the details about the incidents, the foreign secretary said: "These are killings-for-hire cases involving a sophisticated international set-up spread over multiple jurisdictions.”

"India’s reckless and irresponsible act calls into question its reliability as a credible international player and its claims for enhanced global responsibilities," the top diplomat said.

Providing details of the “sophisticated and sinister” Indian campaign of killings inside Pakistan, Qazi said that the Indian agents used technology and safe havens on foreign soil to commit assassinations in Pakistan.

"They recruited, financed and supported criminals, terrorists and unsuspecting civilians to play defined roles in these assassinations," he added.

Qazi blasted Indian media and social media accounts for their quick claims and glorification of the said killings as "successful retribution against 'enemies' of India" and projecting their capacity to carry out these illegal acts.

"Potential assassins were recruited, using social media, talent spotters and fake Da’esh accounts," Qazi said.

He said that there was complete compartmentalisation of the various components of the operation with the employment of teams of financiers, locators, and assassins.

"Elaborate exit plans were developed to obscure all potential tracks."

He said that the information being provided was for two cases, the assassinations of Shahid Latif and Muhammad Riaz, while a few other similar cases were currently under investigation, which will be revealed in due course.

Already strained by historical baggage and border disputes, Islamabad and New Delhi's ties hit new lows after 2016's Kulbushan Yadav spy arrest and the 2019 revocation of Indian Illegal Occupied Jammu and Kashmir's (IIOJK) special status.

The Kashmir move, a blatant violation of international laws, froze diplomacy and choked trade between the two adjoining countries. Pakistan has, for more than four years, conditioned restoring ties with its nuclear neighbour to the restoration of IIOJK’s special status.