2 weeks ago
Pakistan denies Bhatti network ISI link after India arrests 200
India and Pakistan are neighboring countries that sometimes have big disagreements.
A leader in India, Amit Shah, said a group called the Shahzad Bhatti Network was planning dangerous attacks.
He said Pakistan's spy agency, called the ISI, was helping the group.
So India's security agencies did a big operation and arrested more than 200 people in 14 states.
They found bombs, guns, bullets, and cameras that might have been used to spy on important places.
This happened just before India's Independence Day on August 15.
India says the arrests stopped the group from hurting people around that day.
Pakistan says these claims are not true.
A Pakistani spokesperson said India was just trying to distract people from its own problems.
Indian investigators are still looking into the group's money and plans.
India arrested over 200 suspected operatives of the Shahzad Bhatti Network in coordinated raids across 14 states on August 12, ahead of Independence Day.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah described the network as ISI-backed and said the operation disrupted plans for attacks around August 15.
Authorities recovered IEDs, pistols, live ammunition, grenades bearing Pakistan Ordnance Factory markings, and CCTV cameras allegedly used for espionage.
Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi called the allegations 'baseless' and accused India of diverting attention from its domestic security challenges.
The NIA has linked Bhatti to a March 2025 grenade attack on Roger Sandhu's residence in Punjab and a 2025 explosion at a women's police station in Haryana.
- Who
- India's Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi
- What
- India arrested over 200 alleged operatives of the Shahzad Bhatti Network, which India links to Pakistan's ISI; Pakistan rejected the allegations as baseless
- Where
- Across 14 states in India
- When
- Raids took place on August 12, ahead of India's Independence Day on August 15; Shah's statement was posted on Monday
- Why
- India said the operation disrupted planned subversive attacks; Pakistan said the allegations divert attention from India's domestic security challenges
India's position
Pakistan's position
ISI involvement
India's position
India says the Shahzad Bhatti Network is backed and funded by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), citing recoveries such as grenades with Pakistan Ordnance Factory markings.
Pakistan's position
Pakistan calls the claims 'baseless' and denies that its state institutions support militant activity against India.
Purpose of the allegations
India's position
India says the coordinated raids disrupted the network's plans for subversive attacks around Independence Day on August 15.
Pakistan's position
Pakistan says India is using Pakistan-related allegations to divert attention from its domestic security challenges.
Key facts
- Target network
- Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN), a Pakistan-based terror syndicate
- People detained
- 253
- People arrested
- Over 200
- FIRs registered
- More than 80 (under UAPA and Explosive Substances Act)
- States covered
- 14
- Date of coordinated raids
- August 12
- Recovered items
- IEDs, pistols, live ammunition, grenades with Pakistan Ordnance Factory markings, CCTV cameras
- Context
- Ahead of India's Independence Day on August 15
Quotes
Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi
Pakistani Foreign Office spokesperson
“"Over 200 operatives of the ISI-backed terror group, Shahzad Bhatti Network, were arrested during coordinated operations in 14 states ahead of Independence Day"”
deccanchronicle.com
“"He accused India of using Pakistan-related assertions to 'divert attention from its domestic security challenges'"”
deccanchronicle.com
Tahir Andrabi
Foreign Office spokesperson
“"baseless"”
telegraphindia.com









