Explained: How Pakistan’s ISI is plotting to disrupt PM Modi’s historic state visit to the US

The energy in New Delhi and Washington is high. It’s just a matter of few hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi will fly off to the United States and begin his first ever state visit, starting 22 June. This is the sixth time PM Modi will be visiting America, but it’s his first state visit and also the first since 2009 that an Indian leader has been accorded such an honour.

Ahead of his trip, which will conclude on 24 June, and he will jet off to Egypt, there’s excitement and happiness, with thousands of enthusiastic Indian-Americans gathering at iconic locations across 20 US cities and organising unity marches to send a message of welcome to the PM. Even several American leaders have expressed their happiness and enthusiasm over Modi’s visit to Washington during which he is also likely to sign two major defence deals.

Also read: Why PM’s sixth visit to the US is even more significant than past trips

But amid this hype and hoopla, authorities are also strengthening the security, as there’s intel emerging that there are attempts by Pakistan’s Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to disrupt the visit.

What exactly is their plan? How does the Pakistan agency propose to disturb Modi’s first ever state visit? We reveal what’s going on.

Pakistan’s plan to disrupt Modi visit

Reports citing intelligence sources say that the ISI has held several meetings with pro-Khalistan organisations working on US soil as well as several groups working against India. The ISI, according to these sources, have provided these Khalistani and anti-India groups with money in order to plan and organise rallies during Modi’s visit to Washington.

It is important to note here that the Khalistani movement is alive and kicking in the United States and one of their most recent activities was the defacing of the wall of the Indian consulate in San Francisco, during the hunt for Amritpal Singh.

In 2021, top American think tank, Hudson Institute, had published a report titled ‘Pakistan’s Destabilization Playbook: Khalistani Activism in the US’ stating how these groups were building a stronger base in America. “Unless the US government prioritises oversight of Khalistan-related militancy and terrorism, it is unlikely to identify groups that are currently engaged in violence in Punjab in India or are preparing to do so. One seldom finds what one is not looking for,” it had said in its report.

Reuters has reported that the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) will hold protests against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. For the unaware, the IAMC, as per its website, is the “largest advocacy organisation of Indian Muslims in the US”.

According to a report published by The Sunday Guardian, the IAMC is a well-known arm of the Pakistan deep state. It has relentlessly targeted India on matters such as human rights, religious freedom.

Apart from this, intel sources also told news agencies that there are plans to wave anti-Modi posters along the routes that he would travel while in the United States. Moreover, buses have also been scheduled to transport those who have been assigned charge of the demonstration to its location.

The ISI has also reportedly hired people to make anti-Modi trends go viral on Twitter before his US visit. Hashtags like #ModiNotWelcome and #SaveIndiafromHinduSupremacy have been created to fuel anti-Modi and anti-India rhetoric ahead of his US visit.

#ModiNotWelcome

Damn