http://zeenews.india.com/india/un-evades-question-on-kulbhushan-jadhavs-death-sentence-1995568.html
Islamabad: The
United Nations (UN) on Wednesday declined to comment on the death sentence awarded to alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, citing the world body was not in a position to judge the case.
"We are not in a position to judge the process, or to have a position on this particular case," The Dawn quoted UN secretary general`s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric as replying to a poser.
"Overall in terms of relations between India and Pakistan, we underline and continue to underline the need for the parties to find a peaceful solution and to engage through engagement and dialogue," he added.
Earlier, Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif ruled out any possibility of an immediate execution of Jadhav, citing three appellate forums were available for him under the law.
India has sent out a stern message to Pakistan with the Parliament strongly condemning the Pakistan Military Court`s verdict sentencing Jadhav to death on charges of spying.
Replying to the issue in the Lok Sabha during the Question Hour on April 11, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that the government would do whatever is possible to give justice to Jadhav.
Singh said India`s request for basic consular access to Jadhav was denied several times.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, in a suo motu statement made in both the Houses of Parliament, warned Islamabad of consequences in bilateral relations if death sentence on Kulbhushan Jadhav is carried out.
She said if the decision of the Pakistani court is implemented, it will be a pre-meditated murder asserting that there is no evidence against Jadhav.
There were also strong protests in front of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.
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 triggering tension between India and Pakistan.
Observers and experts on criminal or espionage-related laws in a majority of countries have suggested that the death sentence against Jadhav is a clear violation of Article 36 of the Vienna Convention that makes it mandatory for every government to provide consular access to an arrested foreign national by officials of his/her government.
First Published: Thursday, April 13, 2017 - 09:47
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http://zeenews.india.com/india/kulb...nst-pakistan-says-he-is-innocent-1995728.html
New Delhi: Upping the ante against Pakistan, the Government of
India on Thursday accused Islamabad of arresting
Kulbhushan Jadhav over false charges of spying as it vowed to bring him back.
Addressing a presser on the issue, MEA spokesperson Gopal Baglay said, ''Kulbhushan Jadhav has been falsely arrested in Pakistan. The establishment there has no proof of any wrongdoing by him. He is innocent''.
Pakistan has not shared with us any details about Kulbhushan Jadhav 's well-being or the location where he is presently being kept, Baglay said.
Attacking the Pakistani establishment, the MEA spokesperson said,
''So far Pakistan has denied all our requests for consular access. We have made at least 13 such requests before the Govt of Pakistan.''
Raising doubts over the credibility of Pakistan's legal system, Baglay said,
''The so called legal process done by Pakistan was opaque.''
"We are making all efforts to get him back but we can't reveal the steps that will be taken to achieve it. We are in touch with Pakistan through our High Commission on this immensely important issue," Baglay said.
India and Pakistan also have a bilateral agreement on consular access, Baglay said while adding,
''India had discussed Jadhav's kidnapping issue with Iran last year.''
Baglay, however, assured that the government of India will explore all options to bring Jadhav back.
The response from MEA came days after the government warned Pakistan that executing Jadhav will have serious "consequences" on the bilateral ties.
The death sentence awarded to Jadhav by a Pakistani military court after declaring him a "spy" echoed in both Houses of Parliament where all parties came together to condemn the "indefensible" verdict and pressed the government to take every step to help him.
In Parliament, the government as well as the Opposition, saw the capital punishment as an attempt to defame India and to deflect the attention of the international community from Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj made a statement in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, asserting that India will go "out of the way" to ensure justice to Jadhav who is an "innocent kidnapped Indian".
Jadhav's execution will be taken by India as a "pre-meditated murder" and Pakistan should "consider its consequences" on bilateral relations, if it proceeds on this matter, Swaraj warned.
First Published: Thursday, April 13, 2017 - 15:50
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http://zeenews.india.com/india/exec...state-for-defence-subhash-bhamre-1995735.html
Mumbai: If Pakistan executes the death sentence against
Kulbhushan Jadhav it will be treated as murder of an Indian national, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre today said.
He said the Centre was trying to bring international diplomatic pressure on Pakistan to secure Jadhav's release.
"We have given a strong message to authorities in Pakistan that the way in which the verdict has been given by the army court, is not transparent and not in accordance with bilateral relations between the two nations," Bhamre told PTI.
"We have been constantly asking for proof (against Jadhav) and under which provisions has he been tried that Pakistan felt to give that (death penalty). We condemn this," he said.
"If this verdict is implemented, we will consider it as murder of an Indian national. In any case, we will not tolerate this," Bhamre said.
Refusing to divulge details of the steps being taken by the Centre to secure Jadhav's release, Bhamre said, "We are bringing international diplomatic pressure (on Pakistan) as much as possible. We are very sure positive results will be out very soon."
A Pakistani military court recently sentenced 46-year-old Jadhav to death after declaring him a "spy".
Pakistan claims that its security forces had arrested Jadhav from the restive Baluchistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran. It also claimed that he was "a serving officer in the Indian Navy."
After the sentencing, India warned Pakistan to consider the "consequences" on their ties if Kulbhushan Jadhav is hanged in the alleged espionage case and vowed to go "out of the way" to save him amid an outrage in this country.
The death sentence awarded to Jadhav recently echoed in both Houses of Parliament where all parties came together to condemn the "indefensible" verdict and pressed the government to take every step to help him.
First Published: Thursday, April 13, 2017 - 16:08
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http://zeenews.india.com/india/kulb...resh-request-for-consular-access-1995794.html
New Delhi: The
Indian High Commission in
Pakistan will make a fresh request for
consular access to alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, sources said.
This comes after the Ministry of External Affairs earlier in the day said that India has no information of Jadhav's whereabouts, adding that Pakistan's 'indefensible' verdict is violation of basic norms of law, justice and international relations.
" Kulbhushan Jadhav is a kidnapped innocent Indian, who is a retired officer of the Indian Navy. And these two facts were communicated to Pakistan one year ago when the matter of his illegal custody came to our knowledge. We had made 13 requests for the consular access, but it was denied by the Pakistan," MEA official spokesperson Gopal Baglay told the media here.
"What is his condition, where is he being held, these facts cannot be ascertained. The Pakistan Government has also not shared with us his location or any specific details as to how and where is he being held and what is his condition," he added.
Crying foul over the proceedings against Jadhav, Bagley said that the former has been denied proper defence, adding the verdict is indefensible.
"No due process has been followed in the proceedings which is complete violation of basic norms of law, justice and international relations," he added.
Baglay further said that Pakistan's High Commissioner Abdul Basit was summoned as soon as the information of Jadhav's death sentence came to India's knowledge.
"It was made clear to the Pakistan Government that given the circumstances of the case namely kidnapping of Jadhav, absence of any credible evidence to substantiate the concocted charges against him and the farcical nature of proceedings against him. the Government of India will regard it as premeditated murder if the indefensible sentence awarded to him were carried out," he added.
Reiterating External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's assertion, Baglay said lack of evidence and denial of consular access shows that charges levelled against Jadhav are baseless.
"The EAM also informed the Parliament that Government of Pakistan had approached us this year to access the investigation and this further underlines the insufficiency of evidence," he added.
Stating that Jadhav's matter is associated with the sentiments of the nation, Baglay said the Parliament has spoken in one voice on it and would ensure justice to the former.
"The senior ministers of government have told the Parliament that government will do everything that is possible to ensure justice to Kulbhushan. We are engaged in achieving this objective," he added.
Earlier, Swaraj warned Islamabad of consequences in bilateral relations if Jadhav's death sentence is carried out.
She said if the decision of the Pakistani court is implemented then it will be a pre-meditated murder asserting that there was no evidence against Jadhav.
Jadhav, who was arrested in March last year by Pakistan and accused of espionage, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on Monday triggering tension between the two Asian neighbours.
First Published: Thursday, April 13, 2017 - 17:31