Pakistan passes death sentence on Indian 'spy'

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - A military court on Monday sentenced an Indian “spy” to death -- threatening further divisions between Pakistan and India amid already heightened tensions.

Kulbhushan Jadhav, who the court heard was a serving officer in the Indian Navy, had been involved in carrying out espionage and sabotage in Karachi and Balochistan province.

“The spy has been tried through field general court martial under the Pakistan Army Act and awarded the death sentence,” the military’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

No date has been set for his execution, which would be by hanging.

Jadhav was arrested in March last year in Mashkel, a town a few kilometers (miles) from the Iranian border. According to the military, he was using the Muslim name Hussein Mubarak Patel.

Officials said Jadhav had been running a spy network for India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) intelligence agency from the Iranian port of Chabahar.

The military said he had confessed before the court to having been tasked to “plan, coordinate and organize espionage/sabotage activities aiming to destabilize and wage war against Pakistan by impeding the efforts of law enforcement agencies for restoring peace in Balochistan and Karachi.”

ISPR head Lt. Gen. Asim Bajwa earlier said that Jadhav had aimed to disrupt the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, particularly Gwadar port.

“This is nothing short of state-sponsored terrorism,” he added. “There can be no clearer evidence of Indian interference in Pakistan.”

Weeks after Jadhav’s arrest, New Delhi denied any ties to him and described him as a retired naval officer.

Tensions between the two nuclear neighbors have risen since 19 Indian soldiers were killed in Jammu Kashmir in September. India accused the killers of having ties to Pakistan.