Tensions between India and Pakistan peaked once again as the Pakistani authorities gave a death sentence to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer on charges of espionage and activities of sabotage.
“The spy has been tried through Field General Court Martial (FGCM) under Pakistan Army Act (PAA) and awarded death sentence, stated a press release issued by Pakistan’s Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).
This prompted India to immediately halt the release of about a dozen of Pakistani prisoners, who were expected to be set free on Wednesday, April 12.
In addition to this, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit in order to issue a scathing demarche.
The Foreign Secretary told him that India will consider Jadhav’s hanging as a “premeditated murder.”
“If this sentence against an Indian citizen, awarded without observing basic norms of law and justice, is carried out, the Government and people of India will regard it as a case of premeditated murder,” stated the Ministry of External Affairs.
According to sources, the MEA, apparently tried to obtain consular access to Jadhav 13 times ever since he was arrested on March 3 last year through a Counter Intelligence Operation from Mashkel, Balochistan. But India’s request was turned down every time.
“Jadhav was kidnapped last year from Iran and his subsequent presence in Pakistan has never been explained credibly. The Government of India, through its High Commission in Islamabad, has repeatedly sought consular access to him, as provided for by international law. Requests to that effect were formally made 13 times between March 25, 2016 and March 31, 2017. This was not permitted by the Pakistani authorities,” MEA said.
MEA also said that the proceedings that have led to the sentence against Jadhav are “farcical in the absence of any credible evidence against him.”
It also said that the Indian High Commission in Pakistan was not even informed that of Jadhav’s trial. According to the MEA, senior Pakistani figures have themselves cast doubt about the adequacy of evidence.
Apparently, in December last year Foreign Affairs Advisor to the Pakistan Prime Minister Sartaj Aziz had stated that there is no conclusive evidence against Jadhav.
The MEA also said the claim made by ISPR that Jadhav was provided with a defending officer during the trial process is “clearly absurd” in the circumstances.