Abdul Basit says there is room for rethink on Kulbhushan Yadav

NEW DELHI: Pakistani High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit has hinted softening stance on Indian RAW agent Kulbhushan Yadav, saying that there was room for a rethink on the case.

In an interview with Indian paper The Hindu, Abdul Basit said Kulbhushan Jadav has some steps to go in the appeal process in Pakistan.

The High Commissioner said, Kulbhushan, who was awarded death sentence by Field General Court Martial on charges of espionage, would be able to appeal for clemency first to Pakistan Army Chief and the President Husain if his appeal was rejected by the Court of Appeals.

“So there is room for a rethink there,” Basit said.

The Hindu quoted Abdul Basit as saying, Pakistan will not carry out the death sentence of Kulbhushan Jadhav until the process in the International Court of Justice is over, even if that takes two to three years.

He went on to say, “Pakistan would like this process to be over quickly, but until [it does], we are committed.”

Commenting on Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed, Basit said the Pakistan government was “trying its best” to keep Saeed under house arrest and several organisations he represents were under “observation” for now.

In April, Indian spy agent Kulbhushan Yadav was awarded death sentence by the Field Court Martial General (FCGM) under the Pakistan Army Act (PAA) for espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan.

Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa had confirmed death sentence.

Kulbushan Sudhir Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel was arrested on March 3, 2016, through a Counter-Intelligence Operation from Mashkel area of Balochistan for his involvement in espionage and sabotage actives in Pakistan.

The agent, arrested from Balochistan, in a video confession had admitted for being involved in anti-Pakistan activities.

But India has alleged that he is not a spy, and that he was kidnapped by Pakistan. It lodged a case against Islamabad, accusing the Pakistanis of violating the Vienna Convention by failing to provide him with consular access, as well as breaking the international human rights law.

New Delhi also filed appeal in the International Court of Justice to impose emergency measures to suspend Kulbhushan’s execution until the legal battle in The Hague had concluded.

The UN´s top court on May 18, ordered Pakistan to stay the execution of Kulbhushan Yadav until the final judgement in the case.

The ICJ has set the next dates for India and Pakistan to present their written submissions, or ‘memorials’ on September 13 and December 13 respectively.