An agent of Pakistan’s spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Rahat Rao, was attacked by unknown individuals in Canada. Rahat Rao, who runs a forex business in the Surrey Central area, was set on fire by an individual who came to his office under the pretense of a money exchange.
Sources indicated that the assailant set Rao on fire before fleeing the scene. Rao is a member of the Canadian-Pakistani community.
Related Background
Rahat Rao was previously questioned in connection with the 2023 murder of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia. This incident had significantly strained the ties between India and Canada, following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations of Indian agents’ potential involvement in Nijjar’s killing.
Following Nijjar’s murder, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) visited Rao’s office, questioning him for nearly two hours about Nijjar. Sources claimed that during this interrogation, Rao was forced to delete all his social media posts in front of the RCMP officers.
Suspicion of ISI Involvement
There were suspicions of the ISI’s involvement in Nijjar’s murder. Sources had identified Rahat Rao and Tariq Kiyani as significant ISI operatives in Canada, allegedly managing various agency activities, including handling terrorists wanted by India.
Sources speculated that Nijjar’s killing might have been linked to business conflicts, with Rao and Kiyani possibly seeking control over the local drug trade. They suggested that Rao, Kiyani, and Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun could have orchestrated the murder to dominate the drug and immigration business, which serves as their primary income source.
