Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer was sentenced to death in Pakistan by a Field General Court Martial (FGCM) on Monday. The court consisted of Pakistan army officers who announced his death sentence. Jadhav was arrested when he was found during a counter intelligence operation in Balochistan’s Mashkel area on March 3, 2016.
Indian government backed Jadhav and claimed that he was captured by the Pakistani authorities in Iran. Gemany and Afghanistan shared similar concern over Jadhav’s arrest and stated that he was not involved in any illegal activities.
India further claimed that Jadhav ran a legitimate business from Iran, and unintentionally crossed Pakistan and was harassed by the Pakistani authorities who charged him as being a Research and Analysis Wing spy in Pakistan.
Last year, Jadhav confessed claiming he was an active navy officer who held meetings with Baloch insurgents and carried out activities with their collaboration. Jadhav confessed in the video that he had set up a small business in Chabahar in Iran which smoothened his undetected visits to Karachi in 2003 and 2004. However, India refused to validate the footage and said that it was recorded under immense torture and pressure.
India has said it will do anything to save Kulbhushan Jadhav and warned Pakistan of consequences if it executed Jadhav. Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj told Rajya Sabha “If executed, it will be regarded as an act of murder. Kulbhushan Jadhav is innocent as there is no evidence of wrongdoing. I would caution the Pakistan government to consider the consequences for our bilateral relationship if they proceed on this matter.”
Sushma further said, Kulbhushan is the son of an entire nation and will talk to the Supreme Court and also the President to rescue Jadhav.
Here is a video of India’s best lawyer fighting for Kulbhushan’s case.
