Pakistani media has lauded the April 10 verdict of their Military Court, which gave death sentence to an alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav over the Islamabad’s claim of the 46-year-old being involved in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan.
According to the reports published in the Firstpost, a Pakistani website Dawn declared the judgment ‘rare’ and one that sends a strong message to India and other foreign intelligence agencies. Another newspaper quoted Balochistan Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti saying, “This is a good decision.”
Salim Bokhari, the editor-in-chief of The Nation, was quoted saying, “This is apt punishment for any spy involved in anti-Pakistan activities.” They also claimed that justice has been served with the sentencing of Jadhav.
A defence expert, Ikram Sehgal, has also justified the decision. “Jadhav confessed his crime, he had people killed. After due process, his punishment should be carried out. India will deny that he was not a spy, but he accepted that he was a spy. He gave full details in his confession of his networks as well,” Sehgal said.
Talat Masood, a Defence expert, was also quoted saying, “Now Pakistani Government should be ready to face the reaction as Narendra Modi government will react strongly.”
Earlier, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) released a statement saying that a Field General Court Martial awarded the capital punishment and Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa had confirmed the death sentence.
The ISPR statement conceded that Jadhav was tried under section 59 of the Pakistan Army Act, 1952, and section 3 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923.
Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested on March 3, 2016, reportedly in Balochistan’s Mashkel area, for “involvement in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan.”
