ISI conspired to thwart PM Modi's appeal to switch off light by spreading false news of grid failure: Intelligence Agencies

New Delhi: Pakistan's premier intelligence agency ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) hatched a conspiracy through social media to thwart Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal of lightning ‘Diya’ to express solidarity against coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic by spreading false news of power grid failure and of fire accidents have been exposed. 

Notably, PM Modi had urged all countrymen to switch off their lights for 9 minutes at 9 pm on Sunday as a sign of solidarity in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Indian security agencies have ascertained the roots of false reports of power grid failure on social media in Pakistan.

"Increased activity noticed at social media platforms. ISI tried to spread misinformation by selectively pushing misleading news like power grid collapse due to Diya and also that there would be many fire accidents following its observation," said an Official tracking social media.

ISI also shared several fake videos on social media of fire incident due to lighting of Diya in various part of the country  after its failed attempt to spread false rumours of grid failure. Many of these fake videos were uploaded on Facebook and Twitter accounts from different cities of Pakistan, the official said, adding that the same modous operandai were used by the ISI during Delhi riots.

Pakistan also spread rumours among Indian students residing abroad, causing panic among them. A deliberate misinformation campaign was also seen among the Indian students of available flights to India. This led to Indian missions flooded with calls from such students wanting to be accommodated in these flights, the official said, adding that it took hours to clarify the students.

"Flooded with calls from Indian students to our mission led to chaos and it took hours to handle the situations. The students were asking for information about flights to India. Due to coronavirus, India has banned all international flights but the message was spread among the students that India flights have resumed," said another official.

When the world's attention is focused on dealing with the coronavirus, Pakistan's ISI is trying to take advantage of this situation. The ISI asked terrorist organizations in Afghanistan and in Kashmir to launch a major terror attack against India. The Pak agency is actively planning attacks in Afghanistan and Kashmir amid COVID-19 outbreak. 

In the last two days, Indian security forces have killed 9 terrorists in different encounters in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir. Four terrorists who were involved in killing of innocent civilians were eliminated at Batpura area of South Kashmir.

In another anti-infiltration operation in Keran Sector of North Kashmir, the security forces eliminated five terrorists attempting to infiltrate into the Line of Control taking advantage of bad weather.