Pakistan claims there was a proposal to swap Jhadav

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister has claimed that a proposal was received to swap Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav for a jailed terrorist in Afghanistan, who was responsible for the horrific 2014 Peshawar school attack.

“The terrorist who killed children in the Army Public School in Peshawar is in Afghan custody. The National Security Advisor told me that we can exchange that terrorist with the terrorist you have, which is Kulbhushan Jadhav,” Khawaja Muhammad Asif told a New York audience on Tuesday.

The Pakistan Taliban had claimed responsibility for the horrific Peshawar school attack in 2014 in which nearly 150 people, mostly school children, were killed.

The minister made this claim in response to a question during his appearance at the Asia Society. However, he did not specify the name of the terrorist or the NSA he was referring to.

Jadhav, a 46-year-old retired Indian Navy officer, was in April sentenced to death by Pakistan's Field General Court Martial on charges of his alleged “involvement in espionage and sabotage activities” against Pakistan.

India has accused Pakistan of violating the Vienna Convention by repeatedly denying consular access to Jadhav.

In a hearing of the case on May 18, a 10-member bench of the ICJ restrained Pakistan from executing Jadhav. Pakistan has said that the Indian national would not be executed until he has exhausted his mercy appeals.