INDIA SEES A PREMEDITATED MURDER PLAN
WIDESPREAD CRITICISM ON PAKISTAN’S VERDICT
New Delhi, April 10: India said it will regard as “premeditated murder” if Pakistan carries out the death sentence, awarded to its national Kulbhushan Jadhav “without observing basic norms of law and justice”.
Reacting strongly, India on Monday said it will regard as “premeditated murder” if Pakistan carries out the death sentence, awarded to its national Kulbhushan Jadhav “without observing basic norms of law and justice”.
Foreign secretary S. Jaishankar summoned Pakistan High Commissioner to India, Abdul Basit, and gave a stronglyworded demarche, which said the proceedings that have led to the sentence against Jadhav were “farcical” as there were no “credible evidence” against him.
Reacting to a press release by Pakistan military’s media wing InterServices Public Relations (ISPR) on Jadhav, India said he was kidnapped last year from Iran and his subsequent presence in Pakistan has never been explained credibly.
India, through its High Commission in Islamabad, has repeatedly sought consular access to him and 13 such requests were formally made between 25 March, 2016 and 31 March, 2017, the demarche said.
“This was not permitted by the Pakistani authorities,” it said.
The proceedings that have led to the sentence against Jadhav are “farcical in the absence of any credible evidence” against him, it said, adding it is significant that Indian High Commission was not even informed that Jadhav was being brought to trial.
“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,” the foreign secretary said in the demarche.
Interestingly, Pakistani PM’s adviser on foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz had reportedly told the Pakistan senate on December 7 that the “dossier” on Jadhav were “mere statements” and that it did not have any “conclusive evidence”.
He even had said that the material was “insufficient”, adding “now it is up to the authorities how long they take to give us more matter on the agent.”
As the news of the sentencing surfaced, people flocked to Kulbhushan family’s apartment in Mumbai but found it to locked It (awarding of death sentence to Jadhav) is unfortunate. The government, if need be, should take extreme step to save him — UDDHAV THACKERAY, Shiv Sena chief We should prepare to take action. We should give warning that consequences would be bad if Jadhav is executed —SUBRAMANIAN SWAMY, BJP MP