Pak media print fake anti-India WikiLeaks cables

Islamabad: Several leading Pakistani newspapers reproduced an elaborate Internet hoax based on purported diplomatic cables from the US embassy in India that spoke of alleged rifts between top Indian Army generals and a "Bosnia-like genocide" in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Nation and The News dailies put the report on their front pages while The Express Tribune, a partner of the International Herald Tribune, carried it on an inside page. The report was also carried by the Urdu newspapers Nawai Waqt and Jang.

The report, which quoted purported secret US diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks, claimed one cable had described former Indian Army chief Gen. Deepak Kapoor as an "incompetent combat leader" and "rather a geek".

It claimed another cable as suggesting that a tug-of-war between Kapoor and current army chief Gen. V K Singh had divided the force into "two groups".

The report claimed yet another US cable had said that human rights violations had resulted in a "Bosnia-like genocide" in Jammu and Kashmir and that American troops should avoid holding any joint drills with the Indian Army over alleged human rights violations.

Yet another US cable, the report claimed, had mentioned that slain Mumbai ATS chief Hemant Karkare had briefed the Americans about an alleged nexus between the Indian Army and "Hindu fanatic groups".

It claimed Karkare, who died fighting the 26/11 terrorists in Mumbai, had sought security from the Americans for himself and his family.

Karkare was one of the several policemen killed during the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Several conspiracy theories have been floated in Pakistan about his death.

The report in The News was merged with several revelations made in cables actually released by WikiLeaks in recent days.

However, none of the purported revelations about the US cables from New Delhi figure on the websites of Britain's Guardian newspaper and the New York Times, which have been putting out the leaked diplomatic cables.

Some Pakistani bloggers noted that the internet hoax was first traced to the website of the Daily Mail, a little-known newspaper known for publishing conspiracy theories.