Jadhav says not tortured in Pakistan, India dubs video ‘propaganda’
Kulbhushan Jadhav meeting his mother and wife in Pakistan (File Photo)
Islamabad/New Delhi, Jan 4 : Pakistan on Thursday released a video in which alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav claimed he was not tortured in custody and accused an Indian diplomat of “yelling” at his mother and wife after they met him last month.
India dismissed the recorded statement as a “propagandistic exercise” with no credibility.
Sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April 2017, Jadhav, 47, says in the short video clip that he had “not been subjected to any sort of torture in Pakistan”.
He also thanked the Pakistan government for letting him meet his mother Avantika and wife Chetankul in Islamabad on December 25. “This gesture was a positive one… I feel happy.”
India’s External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar accused Pakistan of “simply continuing its practice of putting out coerced statements on video.
“It is time for them to realise that such propagandistic exercises simply carry no credibility.
“The absurdity of a captive under duress certifying his own welfare while mouthing allegations of his captors clearly merits no comment.”
Kumar added: “Pakistan is best advised to fulfil its international obligations, whether it pertains to consular relations or UNSC resolutions 1267 and 1373 on terrorism and to desist from continuing violations of human rights of an Indian national.”
The death row convict is heard saying in the video released by the Pakistan Foreign Office: “The Indian person or diplomat accompanying my mother and wife started yelling at them as soon as they stepped out of the meeting.”
Pakistani authorities arranged the meeting between Jadhav and his family through a glass panel but did not allow a private discussion. Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh was not seated with the family.
Jadhav says in the video that he “saw fear” in the eyes of his mother and wife when they met him — for the first time after his controversial arrest.
“I saw fear… why should there be fear? What all has happened has happened,” Jadhav said, adding his family was “threatened”.
“I am a Commissioned officer in the Indian Navy – my Commission is not over,” he said.
On December 26, India denounced Pakistan for its handling of the family’s visit, saying the two women were harassed and prevented from talking to Jadhav freely.
New Delhi denies Jadhav is a spy and says he was abducted from Iran where he had business interests. Islamabad claims he was arrested in the restive province of Balochistan and that he had been tasked by New Delhi to promote terrorism in Pakistan.
IANS
