Islamabad: Defence specialists have raised significant concerns about the alleged connections between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Secretary General Raoof Hassan and an Indian lobby. Reports suggest that Hassan engaged in communications aimed at undermining the state and its institutions through interactions with Indian contacts.
According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the interactions between Raoof Hassan and the Indian lobby were facilitated through various communication platforms, including WhatsApp and email. Notably, on November 19, 2022, Indian journalist Kiran Thapar reportedly made the initial contact with Hassan, during which sensitive information was exchanged, and an interview with Rana Bannerji, a former chief of India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), was shared.
Further interactions continued, with an interview of Pakistan’s Army Chief being shared with Thapar on November 25, 2022, which also included disparaging remarks about Pakistan. These revelations have prompted calls from defense experts for the government to launch a thorough investigation into these activities to identify and hold accountable all individuals involved and their accomplices.