Pakistan boat: Pak begins cover up as India finds ISI link

Even as India pieces together evidence relating to the Pakistan boat, Islamabad has already started the process to disprove the Indian agencies. In Pakistan the establishment is trying to pass it off as a boat smuggling drugs even as sources say that the entire operation was stage managed by the ISI and not the Pakistan navy.

As the intercepts and operational details are being analysed, evidence points towards this operation being undertaken by the ISI who had authorized a former naval officer to instruct the four persons on the boat as they made their advent into Indian waters. The intent was to blow themselves up at the Porbandar naval facility intelligence bureau officials say.

Not an overnight operation

Sources say that there is ample evidence to show that the boat was not on a fishing expedition. The very intent of the four persons blowing themselves up on the boat indicates that they had everything to hide.

Moreover the information did not trickle in on the morning of Dec 31. There was information that was coming in since the past 15 days and since then the team headed by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had been tracking all data.

On the morning of Dec 31 the intercepts tracked by the National Technical Research Organisation gave specific information of this boat setting out of Keti Bunder. From here the coast guards commenced their operation and by the end of the day had managed to corner the boat.

An ISI backed hit

Sources say that the operation was planned and staged by the ISI. The Paksitan navy was not involved in this operation. The handler who was speaking with the persons on the boat appeared to be a former naval officer.

Former naval officers are roped into such missions and we witnessed the same during the 26/11 operation. When the ISI plans an operation it ropes in former officials with expertise. Involving the establishment directly is normally avoided as they would not want evidence leading up to the establishment.

It is more or less confirmed that the agenda was to hit the Porbandar naval facility. The inagural function of the INS Dwarka-II at Porbandar was scheduled to be held on Jan 12. However the event has been put off due to this incident and the agencies want to take all precautionary measures before giving a go ahead for this event.

Pakistan's cover up

Even as the investigations point clearly towards the involvement of terrorists, Pakistan like it did in the aftermath of 26/11 has started to cover up this incident too.

Pakistan is making every attempt to pass it off as a incident of drug smuggling. This is nothing new and we witnessed a similar behaviour on the part of Pakistan even after the 26/11 attack.

Pakistan has been notorious to plant people to speak who in turn speak to the media discrediting a genuine operation by the Indian agencies. They did this when the Indian agencies were chasing up to Sajid Mir, David Headley's handler.
The official line that everyone in Pakistan was asked to tow regarding Mir was that he was a Maulvi in Pakistan and had nothing to do with terrorism.

Defence Minister Parrikar speaks

Meanwhile Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar had rejected talk about the boat being involved in smuggling. He said that the four men committed suicide and this proves that they had something to hide and were terrorists.

Parikkar was told about this incident as he boarded the flight from Delhi to Bangalore on January 1. The agencies informed the Defense Minister about this only before they began their final operation.

In an operation of this nature, the agencies scrutinize every possible data and intercept and only after they are completely sure do they inform the ministry. The ministry is informed just before the commencement of an operation, an agency official also informed.