Pakistan on Monday rejected India’s assertion that it was violating a bilateral pact by not giving access to retired Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death by a military court there.
India has made 15 requests for consular access to 46-year-old Mr. Jadhav, who has been convicted of “espionage and sabotage” by a Pakistan army court.
On the repeated consular requests by India, which has also accused Pakistan of violating the bilateral pact on the issue, Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit said, “We have a bilateral agreement under which it is clearly said that in matters relating to political and security issues, those cases should be decided on merit.
“So, we have so far taken a decision strictly in accordance with the law of the land and as per the bilateral agreement of 2008 (with India). We have not breached anything,” he said.
Denies charges
Categorically dismissing the charge that Mr. Jadhav was a spy, India has maintained that he was kidnapped by Pakistani authorities from Iran where he had legitimate business interest.
Rejecting India’s stand that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran, Mr. Basit said he was caught in Balochistan and tried for “espionage and sabotage”.
