A former Indian Naval officer, Kulbhushan Jadhav, has been sentenced to death, by a Pakistani Military Court, on charges of spying.

Kulbhushan Jadav, was arrested in Pakistan last year. He is further accused by the Pakistan authorities of waging war against the country and stoking violence in Balochistan (one of the four provinces of Pakistan).

Major General Asif Ghafoor, further tweeted, and released the ISPR press release statement.

Indian R&AW agent #Kalbushan awarded death sentence through FGCM by Pakistan Army for espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/ltRPbfO30V

— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) April 10, 2017

A statement in the Pakistani military’s publicity wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said, the spy was tried through Field General Court Martial (FGCM) under the Pakistan Army Act (PAA) and awarded the death sentence.

ISPR stated, “Jadhav was tried through FGCM, under section 59 of the Pakistan Army Act (PAA) 1952 and Section 3 of the official Secret Act of 1923.”

Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, confirmed his death sentence awarded by FGCM.

Jadhav was arrested on March 3, last year, in Balochistan, on charges of being a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) agent, boosting the Baloch separatist movement and attempting to destroy the USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

In March last year, Pakistani Army had released a confessional video of Jadhav, who was intendedly saying, that he was a RAW agent, employed to destabilize the Country’s efforts in restoring peace in Karachi and Balochistan. India had denied that Jadhav was a RAW spy, but said he was a retired Naval officer. Pakistan, however, had refused to extradite him.

“He confessed before a magistrate and the court that he was tasked by RAW to plan, coordinate and organize espionage / sabotage activities aiming to destabilize and wage war against Pakistan by impeding the efforts of Law Enforcement Agencies for restoring peace in Balochistan and Karachi,” said Javed Bajwa.

Pakistan's Foreign Affairs Advisor, Sartaj Aziz had alleged that he was involved in “subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan.”

According to Pakistan media reports, Jadhav even had a residency permit of Iran and had a passport in the name of Hussain Mubarak Patel. The place of birth given in this passport was apparently, Sangli, Maharashtra.

Pakistan, had repeatedly accused India instigating disturbances in Balochistan, but it never offered any evidence to prove its claims. Such allegations, have always been dismissed by New Delhi.

By Supraja