Kulbhushan Jadhav

Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 13

India and Pakistan today hardened their stance on the death sentence awarded to Kulbhushan Jadhav. Pakistan alleges he is an Indian spy, while India maintains he is “innocent”.India reiterated that if Pakistan went ahead with the death sentence, it would amount to a pre-meditated murder.The Ministry of External Affairs said it has no information on Jadhav’s location in Pakistan or his condition, noting that it was in touch with the government there on this “immensely important” issue.In Islamabad, top military generals held a meeting and decided there would be no “compromise” on the death sentence awarded to Jadhav. Sources say India is exploring options, both soft and hard, for ensuring that Jadhav is brought back home.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The rift within Pakistan between the civilian government headed by PM Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa is also evident. Rawalpindi barracks seem to have taken the initiative and are leading the discourse on the issue. Today’s corps commanders’ conference in Islamabad was presided over by Gen Bajwa, the military’s media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.The generals were briefed about Jadhav and it was concluded that “no compromise shall be made on such anti-state acts”, the statement said. The Ministry of External Affairs put the ball firmly in Pakistan’s court, calling in question the legality of the sentence and in essence harping on two facts. One: If Jadhav was indeed a spy, why would he be carrying an Indian passport ? Two: Pakistan’s obstinate insistence to not grant India consular access violates international norms and raises questions on the authenticity of charges.“Consular access is usually expeditiously granted,” MEA spokesperson Gopal Baglay said. “We need to verify how this gentleman got to Pakistan; we don’t know the circumstances of his presence in Pakistan. For that we need to meet him which is part of international law,” he added. Meanwhile, Pakistan claimed “foreign spy agencies”, may have “trapped” and then abducted Lt Col Muhammad Habib Zahir who disappeared on April 6 from Lumbini, a Buddhist pilgrimage site near India’s border town of Sonauli. Pakistan was in touch with Nepal to trace him.