Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The top civilian and military leadership has decided not to bow down to any pressure over the death sentence awarded to Indian spy Kulbushan Jadhav.

Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday called on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the PM House and took him into confidence on the convicted Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) spy’s trial and subsequent sentencing by a Field General Court Martial (FGCM).

Both the leaders agreed that no compromise can be made on country’s security and stability and that elements threatening Pakistan’s territorial integrity will be dealt with an iron fist.

Kulbushan Jadhav was arrested on March 3, 2016, through a counter-intelligence operation in Balochistan’s Mashkel area over his involvement in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan, ISPR had said in a statement on Monday.

Pakistan had turned down India’s request seeking consular access to Jadhav last year due to his involvement in ‘subversive activities’ in the country. Jadhav was tried by the FGCM under Section 59 of the PAA and Section 3 of the official Secret Act of 1923. He confessed before a magistrate and the court that he was tasked by RAW to plan, coordinate and organise espionage and sabotage activities seeking to destabilise and wage war against Pakistan through impeding the efforts of law enforcement agencies for the restoration of peace in Balochistan and Karachi, the ISPR had said.

The army chief also briefed the prime minister on current security situation in the country, according to a statement by the PM House. The COAS apprised the PM about progress in the ongoing operation Raadul Fasaad in the country.

The prime minister expressed satisfaction over the gains made in the operation and appreciated the role of armed forces for their matchless sacrifices towards the national goal of achieving peace in the country, the statement said.

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Maryam Aurangzeb also said on Wednesday that Pakistan will not tolerate threats from any country on matters related to its national security. “No laws have been violated in awarding the sentence,” she said, adding, “Details of Jadhav’s involvement have already been shared with different countries and it has been proved beyond doubt that he is an Indian spy.”

The minister, however, clarified that Wednesday’s cabinet meeting didn’t discuss the Indian spy issue. “It was not on cabinet’s agenda nor was it discussed during the meeting,” she said.

Sitting alongside Maryam, Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said that the state did not take revenge or followed any discrimination in the trial. “India and international community must understand that the death sentence was according to Pakistani laws,” he said. “We did not change any law and neither are we victimising anyone,” he said, adding that action was taken after evidence was collected and everything was done in accordance with the existing laws of the land.

A day earlier, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told Upper House of Parliament that Kulbhushan Yadav would get no concessions as due process of law was followed while sentencing him to death.

Hitting out at New Delhi, the minister had said, “They used the term premeditated murder. All I want to say is it was premeditated murder in Gujarat. It was premeditated murder when Samjhota Express was attacked. It is premeditated killings of Kashmiri youths in the Held Kashmir, which continues unabated.”

Following the announcement of death sentence on Monday, India summoned Pakistan’s High Commissioner to New Delhi Abdul Basit and handed over a demarche saying, “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.”

Jadhav has now 40 days to file an appeal against the FGCM in the army’s court of appeal. In case the court upholds FGCM verdict, Jadhav would have the opportunity to seek mercy from the army chief and the president of Pakistan.