The Ministry of External Affairs on Monday summoned the Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit protesting strongly against the sentencing of an Kulbushan Jadhav to death. If the death sentence issued to the former Indian Navy official, awarded without observing basic norms of law and justice, is carried out, it will be a “premeditated murder”, said a diplomatic note of protest issued by the MEA.
“The proceedings that have led to the sentence against Shri Jadhav are farcial in the absence of any credible evidence against him. It is significant that our High Commission was not even informed that Shri Jadhav was being brought to trial. Senior Pakistani figures have themselves cast doubt about the adequacy of evidence. The claim in the ISPR release that Shri Jadhav was provided with a defending officer during the so-called trial is clearly absurd in the circumstances,” stated the diplomatic note of protest.
India maintained that Mr. Jadhav was kidnapped last year from Iran and Pakistan had not given an adequate explanation of how he landed in their country. The government also said that Pakistan had not granted consular access to him despite repeated requests.
“Shri 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 25 March 2016 and 31 March 2017. This was not permitted by the Pakistani authorities,” the diplomatic note communicated.
Mr. Jadhav was arrested in March 2016 when Pakistan military issued a dramatic video of him admitting to be an agent of India’s external intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). The video showed him apparently admitting to sabotage against Pakistani facilities in Balochistan.
“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,” said the note.
