New Delhi, February 16 – It appears that establishing desks in various countries to carry out covert operations is the new modus operandi of the ISI, with Indian intelligence agencies having learned that, in addition to the existing missions in each country, the Pakistani spy agency has been setting up its own desks so that its members can carry out covert operations there.
These desks are a replica of what the ISI had set up in Sri Lanka 14 years ago.
The desk was set up specifically to establish modules in South India. Although this plan was foiled by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the ISI continues to engage in covert operations, an official said.
To set up these desks, the ISI has sought the help of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organisation (NIO). Turkey had recently helped set up such a desk in Bangladesh. It was referred to as the ISI’s Dhaka Desk.
Now, the ISI is in the process of setting up the Moscow Desk. Officials say that this desk is being set up to establish modules in Russia. The aim is to carry out covert operations and undermine the country, as it is an Indian ally.
Similar desks are also being planned in Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Work is underway to restore the desk in Sri Lanka, as the ISI plans to target the southern part of India.
Currently, the southern region is dominated by splinter groups of Al Qaeda and the Islamic State. These groups have become dominant in the region, but largely operate in the online space.
The desk in Sri Lanka becomes important for the ISI as it sees an opportunity to build its network in South India. The ISI wants to occupy the space that has been left vacant following the ban on the Popular Front of India (PFI).
To oversee the setting up of the ISI desks, Brigadier Muhammad Asif Khan and two other senior-ranking Pakistani army officers have been appointed.
Officials say that the function of this desk will not be limited to setting up modules and carrying out terror attacks. There will also be intelligence-gathering missions.
Furthermore, the members of these desks have also been tasked with infiltrating the intelligence agencies of that particular country, the official also noted.
Another official noted that the Dhaka desk has been successful. It needs to be seen how much will change in the operations of the Dhaka desk, now that there is a democratically elected government in place.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won the recently held elections, and on Tuesday, Tarique Rahman will be sworn in as Prime Minister. This is the first election that has been held since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, due to a popular uprising. The Dhaka desk has managed to set up several modules and has even trained members of the Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HuJI) and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JuMB). All these terrorists were trained so that they could infiltrate India and strike in the northeastern states and West Bengal. The setting up of this desk and carrying out operations has been easy for the ISI, as Muhammad Yunus, the chief of the interim government, was very lenient towards Pakistan.
An Intelligence Bureau official said that both Turkey and Pakistan have embarked on this mission so that they can infiltrate deeper into several countries. While setting up modules is one part of the problem, the more dangerous aspect regarding these desks is that the members have been trained to infiltrate intelligence agencies. Hence, it is clear that both these countries are aiming at playing a massive game to gain control over several countries and carry out covert operations, the official also added.