ISLAMABAD, Monday, July 28, 2025 (WNP): India has reportedly launched a covert military campaign—dubbed Operation Mahadev—designed to stage fake encounters using unlawfully detained Pakistani nationals in a bid to fabricate a narrative of counter-terror success and offset the failure of its previous offensive, Operation Sindoor, security sources revealed on Monday.

According to credible intelligence, the operation’s objectives include deflecting domestic criticism, regaining political ground, and intensifying repression in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Central to the strategy, sources warn, is the use of Pakistani citizens in Indian custody—some potentially already martyred or at risk of extrajudicial killings—to be posthumously labeled as “cross-border terrorists.”

Security officials said that Operation Mahadev follows a string of orchestrated incidents, beginning with what they allege was a false flag operation in Pahalgam. In the immediate aftermath, a series of staged “encounters” reportedly began, deliberately targeting Pakistani nationals.

One such case involved two citizens from Azad Jammu and Kashmir—Muhammad Farooq and Muhammad Din—who mistakenly crossed into Indian territory and were allegedly killed on April 24 in a staged cross-border encounter. Intelligence assessments now suggest these incidents may form part of a broader, premeditated campaign.

Authorities fear India may exploit the list of 723 Pakistani nationals previously disclosed by Pakistan’s military spokesperson, the Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), during press briefings held on April 29 and 30. This list details Pakistani citizens held in illegal detention in Indian prisons, many without due legal process.

According to sources, Indian media outlets may soon be presented with pre-recorded video footage, doctored images of the deceased, and planted weapons—carefully curated to sustain a façade of national security victories while hiding the abuse of detainees.

Beyond fake posthumous claims, there are serious concerns that living Pakistani detainees may be coerced into making forced confessions or anti-Pakistan statements for propaganda purposes. “This is not only a gross violation of international law but also a deliberate escalation aimed at maligning Pakistan and justifying aggressive posturing,” one official remarked.

Security experts believe that with the credibility of Operation Sindoor in question, India is using Operation Mahadev to rewrite the narrative by projecting hollow victories. The pattern of extrajudicial actions, they claim, is not new. Indian forces have long faced allegations of staging fake encounters in IIOJK—a tactic now reportedly being elevated to a systematic disinformation campaign.

The situation is particularly alarming for the 56 Pakistani nationals whom the DG ISPR confirmed as still being in illegal Indian custody. Security agencies fear they may be the next targets in this operation, sacrificed for optics in a media spectacle designed to deflect from policy failures and human rights violations.

Analysts warn that such tactics not only undermine regional peace efforts but also heighten the risk of broader conflict by fueling mistrust and cross-border tensions.

Pakistan is expected to raise this issue at the international level, calling for independent investigations, protection of detainees under international humanitarian law, and a halt to what it deems a dangerous and deceptive campaign.