Pakistan says Indian man admits spying, India dismisses it as farce

islamabad/new delhi — An Indian citizen sentenced to death for spying in Pakistan has admitted espionage and filed a mercy petition with the chief of army staff, the Pakistan military said on Thursday, a statement India dismissed as a farce.

Former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested last year in Balochistan, hit by terrorism and sectarian violence.

“Commander Jadhav has admitted his involvement in espionage, terrorist and subversive activities in Pakistan and expressed remorse at the resultant loss of any precious lives and extensive damage to property due to his actions,” Pakistan’s military said in a statement, adding that he had asked for mercy on “compassionate grounds”. India dismissed

Jadhav’s second confessional video has been released so that the world should know what India has done and continues to do against Pakistan Inter Services Public Relations

the Pakistan military’s statement as an attempt to influence the proceedings of the World Court where India has sought justice for Jadhav.

It renewed its demand for consular access to Jadhav and the grant of visas to his family to meet him in prison.

Pakistan authorities say Jadhav confessed to being assigned by India’s intelligence service to organise espionage and sabotage in Balochistan “aiming to destabilise and wage war against Pakistan”.

Balochistan is at the centre of a $57 billion Chinese-backed “Belt and Road” development project that first focused on Chinese firms building roads and power stations but is now expanding to include setting up industries.

In a transcript released by Pakistan, Jadhav says disrupting the Chinese-funded projects was a main goal of his activities.

The ISPR said Jadhav’s second confessional video “in which he can be seen accepting his acts of terrorism and espionage is also released so that the world should know what India has done and continues to do against Pakistan”. —