Amritsar: A Pakistani national was arrested in Gurdaspur, Punjab, for trying to enter India illegally on Monday. Twenty-five-year-old Muhammad Ajmal was nabbed by the Border Security Force (BSF) while attempting to cross the international border. He has been handed over to the Punjab Police for further investigation.
According to sources, an identity card issued by the Government of Pakistan and some Pakistani currency were recovered from Ajmal. It is still not clear why he was trying to cross the international border though. He will be interrogated by several agencies to try and ascertain the reason.
Security agencies are on high alert after the Pahalgam terrorist attack on April 22 that left 26 persons, mostly tourists from across the country, dead and several others injured. Investigations have revealed that the strike was masterminded in Pakistan. At least two of the terrorists involved in the massacre have also been identified as Pakistanis.
Ajmal’s arrest comes days after the arrest of a Pakistani Ranger personnel in Rajasthan. The unarmed border guard from Pakistan, who was in uniform, was nabbed as he was trying to enter India near Sri Ganganagar. With India and Pakistan engaged in a diplomatic and military stand-off since the Pahalgam attack, the Pakistani Ranger’s unauthorised entry into India is being seen as an act of possible aggression.
Officials are trying to ascertain whether he was engaged by some agency in Pakistan to carry out espionage activities in India. He may also have been engaged to carry out surveillance.
For days now, India has been trying to get BSF jawan Purnam Kumar Shaw released from the clutches of Pakistani authorities. On April 23, Shaw had accidentally stepped across the International Border in Punjab when he was taken into custody by the Pakistani Rangers. His location or health condition is still not known.
