Pakistan says no change in law for Jadhav case

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday categorically dismissed any option to amend local laws on India’s demand to allow its own lawyers to fight the case of spy Kulbhushan Jadhav in Pakistani courts.

“Pakistan will never accept any ‘unreasonable demand’ by India on Jadhav case,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said at a weekly press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, when asked if Pakistan was considering any relaxation in laws to accommodate the Indian demands.

The spokesperson said there was no other option for India but to “cooperate with Pakistani courts”, which only permitted appearance of locally registered lawyers before the bench. “Pakistan remains committed to the implementation of IHC judgment,” he said, adding: “However, unfortunately, India still appears evasive on the issue.” The spokesperson said Pakistan had already given “uninterrupted and unimpeded” consular access to Jadhav and was ready to extend the same in future as well.

Chaudhri strongly condemned the recent statement by Indian Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, saying Pakistan could suffer “heavy losses for any misadventure if it took advantage of Ladakh situation”. “Such belligerent statements from senior military leadership of India provide insight into how the BJP-RSS mindset — a dangerous mix of extremist ideology, hegemonic ambitions and obsession with Pakistan, has permeated Indian state institutions,” he said.

He said rather than “whipping up anti-Pakistan sentiments” the Indian leadership must focus on peaceful resolution of outstanding disputes, particularly the Jammu and Kashmir dispute as per international law and the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.

“As for Pakistan and China cooperation, we are ‘all-weather strategic cooperative partners’ and remain committed to promoting peace, stability and development in the region,” he added.

On India’s demand to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to remove the Jammu and Kashmir dispute from the Council’s agenda, the spokesperson said the “ill-conceived Indian move” ahead of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly later in the month was another desperate but pointless attempt by the BJP regime to find an escape from its global condemnation.

He said by denying the Kashmiris their inherent and inalienable right to self-determination as enshrined in the UNSC resolutions, India was in continued violation of its international obligations.

To a question regarding delay in the intra-Afghan dialogue, the spokesperson said Pakistan had consistently maintained that the Afghan peace process had reached a critical stage and required efforts by all the stakeholders. Only a political settlement in Afghanistan would lead to peace and stability in the country, he added.

About the mysterious killing of 11 Pakistani Hindu nationals in India where a family member accused involvement of Indian intelligence agency RAW, the spokesperson said Pakistan had asked India to share the circumstances of incident and provide a copy of the FIR (First Information Report). He also called upon India to carry out an independent inquiry into the incident.