Pakistan sentences former Indian naval officer to death

[JANASENA]

Members of the Pakistan media watch a projection of a video showing arrested man Kulbhushan Yadav -- suspected of being an Indian spy -- during a press conference in Islamabad in this March 29, 2016 photo.   | Photo Credit: AFP

 

Kulbushan Jadhav sentenced for espionage and sabotage activities, says military spokesperson.

A Pakistani military court has handed down the death sentence to former Indian naval officer Kulbushan Jadhav for alleged espionage work for Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW).

Later in the evening, The Ministry of External Affairs said Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar has summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit over the death sentence. Mr. Jaishankar said the “basic norms of law and justice” has not been followed in Jadhav’s case.

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The Indian embassy officials were refused access to Jadhav throughout the process.

A statement from the Pakistani military on Monday said Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa had confirmed the death sentence on Jadhav, who was allegedly arrested from Balochistan on March 3 last year.

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Full text of Kulbhushan Jadhav's alleged confession

 

Military spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said in a tweet:"Indian RAW Agent Kalbhushan awarded death sentence through Court Marshal by Pakistan Army for espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan".

A press release followed the tweet, stating that R&AW agent/naval officer Jadhav alias Hussain Mubarak Patel was arrested on March 3, 2016 through a counter intelligence operation from Mashkel, Balochistan for his involvement in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan.  "The spy has been tried through Field General Court Marshall under Pakistan Army Act and awarded death sentence.  Today Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa has confirmed his death sentence through FGCM", it said.

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Pakistan military claimed that Jadhav confessed before a magistrate that he was tasked by the RAW to plan, coordinate and organise espionage/sabotage activities aiming to destabilise and wage war against Pakistan by impeding the efforts of law enforcement agencies for restoring peace in Balochistan and Karachi.

India has acknowledged that Jadhav is a retired Navy officer, but denied the allegation that he was in any way connected to the government.