The Centre on Monday decided against releasing 12 Pakistani prisoners who were to be repatriated on Wednesday, hours after an Indian national, Kulbhushan Jadhav, was sentenced to death by Pakistan for allegedly being an agent of the Research and Analysis Wing, PTI reported. The government felt that this was not the right time to release them, the news agency quoted Indian officials as saying.
Both India and Pakistan follow the practice of sending back nationals lodged in each other’s jails after they complete their sentences.
Pakistan had accused Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer, of having entered the country through Iran and helped Baloch separatists. It had charged him with terrorism, sabotage and violating the country’s Foreigner Act. After his arrest, the Pakistani Army had released what they claimed was a “confessional video”. India had admitted that he was a retired Indian Navy officer, but had denied all claims that he was involved with the government in any way.
Earlier in the day, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar summoned Pakistan High Commissioner to India, Abdul Basit, and issued a demarche saying that the proceedings leading up to the death sentence for Jadhav were “farcical”. “Shri Jadhav was kidnapped last year from Iran and his subsequent presence in Pakistan has never been explained credibly. The Government of India, through its High Commission in Islamabad, has repeatedly sought consular access to him, as provided for by international law. Requests to that effect were formally made 13 times between 25 March 2016 and 31 March 2017. This was not permitted by the Pakistani authorities,” the Centre said.
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