News Desk |
Pakistan, on Thursday, agreed to New Delhi’s demand of providing consular access to RAW spy Kulbhushan Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel, a day after the verdict of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the espionage case.
The announcement was issued by the Foreign Office, released in a statement that noted the Indian Naval Officer-turned RAW spy will be provided consular access, in line with the verdict of the ICJ.
Consular Access Granted
The statement issued by the Foreign Office read, “Pursuant to the decision of the ICJ, Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav has been informed of his rights under Article 36, Paragraph 1(b) of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.”
The statement added, “As a responsible state, Pakistan will grant consular access to Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav according to Pakistani laws, for which modalities are being worked out.”
Jadhav later filed a clemency petition before the Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and his plea for mercy is still pending before the Army Chief.
The two countries are working towards coming to an agreement on the modalities of the grant of consular access to Jadhav.
On Wednesday, the International Court of Justice, based in The Hague, directed Pakistan to review the death sentence awarded to RAW spy Kulbhushan Jadhav by the “means of its own choosing.” The UN-affiliated court upheld the credibility of Pakistan’s military courts by rejected Indian demands of the annulment of the death sentence awarded to Jadhav by the military court.
The ICJ also rejected New Delhi’s demand for Jadhav’s release and return to India. However, the ICJ also directed Pakistan to provide Jadhav access to Indian consular officers, and inform him of his rights under the Vienna Convention.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Wednesday announced its verdict on the Kulbhushan Jadhav case, ruling that Jadhav be allowed consular access immediately and asking Pakistan to ensure “effective review and reconsideration of his conviction and sentences”. pic.twitter.com/UGFP5lhk52
— Pakistan House (@pakistanhouse11) July 18, 2019
The PTI-led government has fulfilled the directives of the ICJ verdict by allowing consular access to Jadhav.
A Case of Espionage
Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested during an intelligence operation conducted in Balochistan in March 2016, and he was apprehended after illegally crossing the Baloch border from Iran. Jadhav was travelling on an original Indian passport under the fake name of Hussein Mubarak Patel.
Read more: ICJ rejects plea to send Jadhav back to India
Later, recorded video statements of his confession were released, where a comfortable and at-ease Jadhav was seen confessing all his crimes of espionage. He revealed that he was working under the directives of India’s premier spy agency, RAW, and confession to being involved in subversive activities and terrorist attacks targeting Karachi and Balochistan.
In April 2017, a verdict of the Pakistani military court awarded Jadhav a death sentence after holding him responsible of espionage and subversive activities.
Jadhav later filed a clemency petition before the Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and his plea for mercy is still pending before the Army Chief.
India then approached the International Court of Justice to file a case against Pakistan for not providing Jadhav with consular access. Pakistan maintained that as per the Vienna Convention and Pakistan’s bilateral agreement with India, the facility of consular access did not extend to spies. However, now Pakistan has allowed consular access and analysts believe India will use this facility to portray its own narratives.
Read more: Another 27th February for India, ICJ verdict took them by surprise: DG ISPR Asif Ghafoor
Dr. Moeed Pirzada, renowned political analyst, noted, “No! India will make good use of consular access to change narrative, it will hire lawyers, lobbyists, social media experts & HR activists to weave a new narrative of an innocent Kulbhushan Jadhav & use Washington for a deal.”
No! India will make good use of consular access to change narrative, it will hire lawyers, lobbyists, social media experts & HR activists to weave a new narrative of an innocent Kulbhashan Jadhav & use Washington for a deal https://t.co/GaKGjNxUhC
— Moeed Pirzada (@MoeedNj) July 18, 2019
It is important to note that despite the providence of consular access to Jadhav, India has still not come forward to clarify his real identity, and the mystery behind his alias, Hussein Mubarak Patel.
Very well! So Is Kulbhushan Jadhav a retired Naval Officer or serving one deputed to RAW? If retired, then where is his retirement record? Who should get consular access: Jadhav or Hussain Mubarak Patel? Waiting for your informed & logical answers! https://t.co/R7nXNjBfWp
— Moeed Pirzada (@MoeedNj) July 17, 2019