'Kangaroo trial' but Pak maintains Jadhav a terrorist, must meet fate
New Delhi: Amidst the furore over the death sentence given to alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav by the Pakistan military court, Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi Abdul Basit, maintained his stand on the former on Tuesday, categorically stating that Yadav was indeed a terrorist.
"It's a proven fact that India carries out terrorist-driven activities in Pakistan. When a terrorist himself has accepted he was a spy, the Indian Government is having issues. We haven't done anything wrong in giving the sentence to Jadhav. He should meet his fate," Samaa TV quoted Basit as saying on Tuesday.
Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram had today slammed the sentence calling it a ‘kangaroo trial’, adding that military courts do not have jurisdiction over foreign nationals.
Basit was on Monday summoned to protest at the conviction and sentence. India had also alleged that Pakistan had ignored its multiple requests for consular access to Jadhav.
The centre had also issued a demarche against Pakistani military court for awarding death sentence to Jadhav.
Further cementing the country’s stance, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said Jadhav was the victim of a plan that seeks to cast aspersions on New Delhi to deflect international attention from Islamabad's well-known record of sponsoring and supporting terrorism.
Asserting that India's position on this matter was clear, Swaraj said there was no evidence of wrongdoing by Jadhav.
"If anything, he is the victim of a plan that seeks to cast aspersions on India to deflect international attention from Pakistan's well-known record of sponsoring and supporting terrorism. Under these circumstances, we have no choice but to regard the sentence, if carried out, as an act of pre-meditated murder," she said in the Rajya Sabha.
The External Affairs Minister further said Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar has conveyed India's position to Basit on Monday.
"Let me state clearly that the Government and people of India would view very seriously the possibility that an innocent Indian citizen is facing a death sentence in Pakistan without due process and in violation of basic norms of law, justice and international relations. I would caution the Pakistan Government to consider the consequences for our bilateral relationship if they proceed on this matter," said Swaraj.
"I would also like to tell the House that I have been in touch with the parents of Shri Jadhav and we are extending our fullest support to them in this difficult situation. A strong sense of solidarity expressed by the House will give them more courage at this time," she added.
Jadhav, who was arrested in March last year by Pakistan and accused by the country of spying, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on Monday.
The move has sharply escalated tension between India and Pakistan.
