India has
asked for a certified copy of the charge sheet and death sentence filed against
her citizen Kulbhushan Jadhav and asked to grant diplomatic access to Jadhav.
In Islamabad, Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale met Pakistani Foreign
Secretary Tahmina Jangja in the context of Jadhav's case. A military court in
Pakistan has sentenced Jadhav to death for alleged espionage.
Bambawale
said that he had asked the charge sheet and Kulbhushan Jadhav to give a
certified copy of the sentence of the death sentence heard. He said that he
refused our request for diplomatic access 13 times (in the past year). I again
requested the Foreign Secretary to grant diplomatic access to Jadhav so that we
can appeal.
Sources in
New Delhi said that apart from diplomatic access, India will also look into
legal measures under the legal system of Pakistan, including the appeal filed
by Jadhav's family against the military court's decision. Senior military
officials of Pakistan decided to not compromise on the case of death sentence
sentenced to Jadhav.
This
decision was taken in the meeting of the core commanders today under the
chairmanship of Army Chief General Kamar Bajwa. Field General Court Marshal
sentenced Jadhav to death for spying and involvement in subversive activities,
and General Bajwa confirmed the sentence.
Pakistan
claims that its security forces had arrested Jadhav from Balochistan province
on March 3 last year, which is reportedly from Iran's border. External Affairs
Minister Sushma Swaraj has warned that execution of Jadhav will bring serious
consequences on bilateral relations.
India is
trying to get Jadhav justice: M.J. Akbar
Minister of
State for External Affairs MJ Akbar said that India is trying to get Justice
in Kulbhushan Jadhav’s case, who has been sentenced by the military court of
Pakistan to death. Akbar said that injustice has been done to Jadhav. We are
trying to get justice. We are very much interested in his return. Akbar said
that the government's stand on this matter has been clarified by Foreign
Minister Sushma Swaraj and Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
A military
court sentenced Jadhav, 46, to death for allegations of espionage and sabotage.
Rajnath Singh had said yesterday that India will make every effort to get
justice to Jadhav. Foreign Ministry spokesman Gopal Bagale said yesterday that
India has no information about the location and status of Kulbhushan. We are
making every effort to bring them back but we can not disclose the steps taken
in this direction.
----Ashish Jha
