Pakistan Rejects India’s Allegations of ISI-Backed Terror Network Ahead of Independence Day Crackdown
ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI, August 18, 2026 – Pakistan has vehemently denied accusations from India’s Union Home Minister Amit Shah linking its intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), to a sophisticated terror network that was allegedly dismantled in a sweeping crackdown across India just days before the nation’s Independence Day celebrations.
In a dramatic announcement on Monday, August 17, 2026, Home Minister Shah declared that over 200 operatives of the "Shahzad Bhatti Network," described as an ISI-backed terror group, had been apprehended in coordinated security operations spanning 14 Indian states. Shah asserted that these arrests successfully thwarted the organization’s plans to launch subversive attacks coinciding with India’s Independence Day on August 15.
The Home Minister further elaborated on the significant recoveries made during these operations, which included Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), grenades bearing distinct Pakistan Ordnance Factory (POF) markings, pistols, live ammunition, and CCTV cameras reportedly used for espionage. These findings, Shah claimed, provided concrete evidence of the group’s foreign backing and hostile intent.
However, Pakistan swiftly dismissed these allegations as "baseless." In a late-night statement on Monday, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi responded to media inquiries, accusing India of employing "Pakistan-related assertions to divert attention from its domestic security challenges." This diplomatic exchange highlights the persistent tension and mistrust between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, particularly concerning allegations of cross-border terrorism.
According to a detailed government statement issued in New Delhi, the Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) is a Pakistan-based terror syndicate with a proven track record of orchestrating various acts of violence. Its alleged activities include grenade attacks, IED and petrol-bomb assaults, and targeted killings across different regions of India. The SBN is also accused of systematically funding and directing local operatives to conduct reconnaissance of sensitive police, defense, and religious sites, and to install surveillance equipment for espionage purposes.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), India’s premier counter-terrorism task force, is currently spearheading multiple investigations connected to Bhatti. Among the prominent cases being probed are a grenade attack at the residence of social media influencer Roger Sandhu in Punjab in March 2025, and an explosion at a women’s police station in Haryana during the same year. The NIA had previously filed a chargesheet against Bhatti in April 2026, identifying him as an absconder in these cases.
The recent arrests and subsequent war of words underscore the delicate security situation in South Asia, with India consistently accusing Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism, a charge Islamabad routinely denies. The timing of these arrests, just ahead of a major national celebration, adds another layer of complexity to the already strained bilateral relationship, reigniting debates about state-sponsored terrorism and regional stability.
Published – August 18, 2026 01:00 pm IST
