The Pakistani military on Monday said that Indian “spy” Kulbhushan Jadhav, arrested in Balochistan in March 2016, had been sentenced to death.
Reacting to the news, former RAW chief AS Dulat said that the move is “only a provocation and an unfortunate one.”
“You can’t hang a foreign national and say it’s a warning. It is not in the best interest with India-Pakistan relations,” Dulat said while talking to CNN-News18. Dulat also said that anything can happen in Pakistan, considering that in the past, the country hanged one of their Prime Ministers.
“Jadhav will not be hanged even if Pakistan calls him a spy. It doesn’t matter that he is a spy or a businessman. India should and will find a way to get him out,” Dulat, who has also served as special director of the Intelligence Bureau, said.
Dulat further added that “countries exchange spies and settle it,” and that finally “sanity will prevail.”
Jadhav was reportedly arrested in Balochistan in 2016 after he entered the country from Iran, and was accused by Pakistan of planning “subversive activities” in the country.
The only redressal for Jadhav is to move a mercy petition with the President of Pakistan. India had demanded Consular access to Jadhav, but Pakistan repeatedly denied Indian officials access to him.
Pakistan Army had also released a “confessional video” of Jadhav, in which he said he was a serving Indian Navy officer. India has acknowledged that Jadhav was a retired Indian Navy officer, but denied the allegation that he was in any way connected to the government any more.
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