Pakistan has stated that it has credible evidence linking Indian agents to the killings of two Pakistani citizens on Pakistan’s soil. Foreign Secretary Muhammad Syrus Qazi described the cases as “killings-for-hire” involving a sophisticated international setup. The victims, Shahid Latif and Muhammad Riaz, were shot dead in separate incidents in Pakistan. Qazi also noted the similarity between the method of assassination in Pakistan and previous attempts in Canada and the United States, where Indian involvement was also suspected.
In response, India’s ministry of foreign affairs rejected the allegations, calling them “false and malicious.” Tensions between Canada and India escalated after the killing of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly linking Indian intelligence agencies to the death. In the US, an Indian national was charged with plotting to assassinate a Sikh separatist leader. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that his government would investigate any evidence connected to the plot to assassinate a US citizen, indicating an openness to collaborating with Canada.