Pakistan release another ‘confessional’ video of Kulbhushan Jadhav: All your questions answered

Kulbhushan Jadhav during the meeting with his mother and wife at the Pakistan Foreign Office in Islamabad. (Source: Twitter: Pak MOFA)

Days after Pakistan allowed former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav to meet his mother Avanti and his wife Chetna, it released a new ‘confessional’ video on Thursday. In the new video, Jadhav made several incredulous claims and even accused Indian Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh of threatening his mother Avanti and his wife Chetna during their visit to Islamabad. He also purportedly claimed that he has not been harmed in custody.

Here’s what you need to know about the new video:

What is the new video all about? 

In a new video released by Pakistan on Thursday, former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav made several dubious claims and even alleged that Indian Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh threatened his mother Avanti and his wife Chetna during their visit to Islamabad. Jadhav claimed he had heard Singh, who was accompanying his family members, screaming at his mother and wife. Jadhav claimed he saw “fear” in their eyes and his mother looked “scared” during the meeting.

“I saw fear in her (mother’s) eyes, the Indian diplomat was shouting at my mother the moment she stepped out. I saw him shouting, yelling at her. This [meeting] was a positive gesture so that she [my mother] could be happy and I could be happy,” Jadhav said. Jadhav also said his mother was happy seeing him healthy. (READ FULL STORY)

“I said don’t worry, mummy, I am being taken care of. They don’t harm me, they don’t even touch me…,” he was heard saying in the video. He said his mother believed he was in good health after seeing him. He then went on to claim that he was still a commissioned officer of the Indian Navy.

What was in the earlier video?

On December 25, Jadhav met his family members in Islamabad for the first time since his arrest and subsequent conviction on charges of espionage. After the meeting, the MOFA released a new video featuring Jadhav, in which he thanked the Pakistan government for allowing him to meet with his family. “I requested a meeting with my wife and mother and I am thankful to Govt of Pakistan for this grand gesture,” he was quoted as saying by ANI. (READ FULL ARTICLE HERE)

What is India’s reaction to the new video?

The MEA said that such “propagandistic” exercises don’t carry weight and advised it to fulfil its “international obligations”. “This does not come as a surprise. Pakistan is simply continuing its practice of putting out coerced statements on video. It is time for them to realize that such propagandistic exercises simply carry no credibility,” the MEA said in a brief statement.

It further added, “The absurdity of a captive under duress certifying his own welfare while mouthing allegations of his captors clearly merits no comment. Pakistan is best advised to fulfil its international obligations, whether it pertains to consular relations or UNSC resolution 1267 and 1373 on terrorism and to desist from continuing violations of human rights of an Indian National.”

Meanwhile, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor told ANI: “This is cruel, and inhuman and very disappointing. A civilized state can never indulge in such behaviour.”

Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April, following which India moved the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in May. A 10-member bench of the ICJ on May 18 restrained Pakistan from executing Jadhav till adjudication of the case. It is expected to hold another hearing in March or April this year.

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