Kulbhushan will not be pardoned, handed back to India: FO

ISLAMABAD: General (R) Asad Durrani got his first shut-up call from the government on Friday when the Foreign Office trashed his assessment that Indian spy Kulbhushan Jhadav, presently on death row and in Army custody, will be pardoned and handed back to India.

“This will never happen”, said the Foreign Office spokesman during the weekly media briefing here.

In response to the book ‘The Spy Chronicles’ penned by Gen Durrani, former DG ISI and MI, and his Indian counterpart AS Daulat, a former RAW chief, the spokesman chose extreme caution and did not reply to further queries.

When specifically asked about Durrani’s allegation that former prime minister Gilani was fully onboard regarding the US Navy Seals operation against Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad and that a special deal was struck between the US and Pakistan, he responded, “I have yet to see and read the book, after which I might be able to respond to your queries”.

However, the spokesman pointed out that Pakistan is still ready to enter into deliberations with India and awaiting a response.

“Pakistan has already extended a friendly hand towards India. It is now India’s turn to be forthcoming. We expect our friendly our friendly gestures to be reciprocated,” he said.

Pakistan is also pursuing the matter of release of 54 Pakistani prisoners from Indian jails, who remain incarcerated despite completing their sentence.

“We also await New Delhi’s response to Pakistan’s humanitarian proposal for exchange of prisoners above 60 years and children below the age of 18, shared with the Indian side on 7 March 2018.”, he added.

On its part, Pakistan has made positive gestures on the humanitarian track vis-a-vis India, as reflected in the release of civilian prisoners and fishermen.

“Pakistan’s positive response and addition of further humanitarian proposals to the Indian gesture, for exchange of prisoners, our facilitation of visits of pilgrims to religious shrines, despite India’s denial of visas for Pakistani zaireen, Pakistan’s good-faith humanitarian gesture of allowing Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav’s family to visit him etc. are cases in point. We expect our friendly gestures to be reciprocated”, he said.

To a query regarding Washington’s complaints that its diplomats were facing problems in Pakistan, the spokesman responded: “Foreign Office has not received any specific complaints from the US side after establishment of the mechanism to resolve the issue, on treatment of the US diplomats in Pakistan. Diplomats hailing from all countries enjoy diplomatic privileges alike and are provided every possible support as per international laws and norms as well as reciprocity”.

He pointed out that the US had suspended the security related assistance to Pakistan earlier this year, including the CSF (coalition support fund) reimbursements.

“We believe, and the fact has been frequently acknowledged by the US officials also, that the security related assistance served the mutual interest of stability in the region.