Ambala, March 26
A computer-savvy Pakistani spy was held at Ambala cantonment today. This is the second time in less than six months that a Pakistani spy has been arrested while indulging in espionage activity.

The Pakistani spy, Masood Akhtar Haidar, was arrested while he was sending an e-mail to Pakistan. He was sending the e-mail from a cybercafe on Nicholson Road in Ambala cantonment.

The Superintendent of Police, Ambala, Mr Hardeep Singh Doon, said the Pakistani spy was a resident of Bhutto Nagar in Sahiwal, Punjab, in Pakistan. “Masood Akhtar Haidar was living in India under the assumed name of Ramu. He had come to India on July 7, 2002. He had travelled from Karachi to Dhaka, Kathmandu and Delhi before reaching Hisar”, he said. “A few days ago, he came to Ambala cantonment”, he added.

The spy had set up his base in Hisar due to the cantonment there. Bearing an ordinary look, he began working in a local hotel in Hisar. He befriended another employee there and began to share a room with him. About three-four days ago, Haidar had come to Ambala cantonment.

The spy, Haidar, had been trained by three army officers in Pakistan — Major Shaheed, Usman and Nadeem. He was taught to read, write and understand Hindi and was trained to evade being followed. He was also taught computers.

Haidar, who had studied till Class VI, has a wife and two children. His wife, Farkhanda Zabia, is in Pakistan along with his daughter, Ulfat, and son, Hafza Mohammad. He had been promised money for undertaking spying in India. While Rs 4,000 was given to his family in Pakistan, Rs 4,000 was sent to him in India.

The police is believed to have recovered maps of cantonments in Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan. They have also seized an ATM card and a few other documents. The police is further questioning the spy.

Incidentally, on November 1, 2002, a Pakistani agent was arrested by the police for indulging in espionage activities.

The agent, Mohammad Salim, was arrested when he was clicking photographs of the sensitive Air Force base in Ambala cantonment. He is suspected to be working for the Pakistan military intelligence.

Mohammad Salim had arrived in Ambala on May 6, 2002, and had started gathering information about the Army movements. He had assured the identity of a dyer and had set up a shop in Ambala Sadar. An official had said that an agent was normally a highly motivated and trained person.