By Shaikh Moazzam Khan
Spying is not a new term in the international political and military order. People are familiar with the working nature of any spy or spy agency. Different countries of the world use their spying agencies to accomplish their political, economic and strategic objectives. But one shouldn’t forget that these interests must not be accomplished at the cost of other states’ interests. Unfortunately, international intelligence community is using spying as an illegal tool while dealing with other states. But when it comes to India, the government in New Delhi uses this intelligence game to destabilize other countries especially Pakistan. And there are so many precedents where Indian intelligence agents have been arrested red-handed in Pakistan.
The case of Kulbhushan Jhadav, who is serving Indian naval commander, is clear cut charge sheet against Indian government and its military establishment, who are frequently using spying games against Pakistan. Mr. Jhadev was arrested by Pakistani security forces through an intelligence based operation in March 2016 from Baluchistan while engaging anti-Pakistan elements to sabotage the progress of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He confessed of being a RAW agent and involvement in terror acts in Karachi and to disrupt CPEC through video statement. He also confessed his support to separatists in Baluchistan especially in Gawadar and Makran Costal Highway.
Soon after his arrest, Pakistan Army took him into its custody and started his trial under the constitutionally established military courts. The military court, after the completion of his trial, found him guilty and announced capital punishment to Mr. Jhadev. Although at initial stages Indian government denied any links with Mr. Jhadev, but it accepted the truth at later stage while announcing that Mr. Jhadev is serving commander of Indian Navy. With the arrest of serving senior officer of Indian Navy, Indian designs to sabotage CPEC and promote terrorism in Pakistan have been exposed. The arrest of Jhadev reminds the world community to take notice of the Indian involvement in Pakistan to sabotage its development. When Pakistani military court sentenced Mr. Jhadev to death, Indian government went to International Court of Justice (ICJ) and pleaded that Pakistan must release Jhadev and dismiss all the charges levelled against him. But, ICJ refused to accept Indian version of Jhadev and directed Pakistani authorities to only grant consular access. The ICJ only ruled that Pakistan may reconsidered its verdict.
In the light of ICJ’s verdict, Pakistan offered the consular access to India three times for his case review. Indian officials met Mr. Jhadev at Foreign Office of Pakistan twice. After their meeting with Jhadev, they refused to address the questions of Mr. Jhadev himself and decided to run away. Contrary to the Indian claims, Pakistan also asked Jhadev to file review petition in High Court against his death sentence which was however refused by the Indian agent and asked for his mercy petition to be pursued. Pakistani government in the past arranged a meeting between Jhadev and his family members on humanitarian grounds. India tried to ruin that Pakistan’s goodwill gesture too.
The Indian narrative and attitude on Kulbhushan case tells us grim picture of New Delhi’s notorious designs. Indian efforts to twist the facts and portray Pakistan’s efforts as coercion is a blatant lie. Pakistan is making all out efforts not to drift from legal procedures as per international norms and asked India to follow the suit. Indian embarrassment and reluctance to pursue Kulbhushan’s case cannot be over shadowed by fake narratives and abandonment of their citizen who happens to be a commissioned military officer also.
Indian government is presenting Mr. Jhadev as a victim of Pakistani judicial system as it claims that the court proceedings of Jhadev was pre-planned. But, the reality is that Pakistan fulfilled all legal requirements while dealing with the case. Mr. Jhadev was also given all available legal options to fight for his case but he refused to accept later on. So, by now, India cannot run away from the horrific picture of its activities in Pakistan. Its notorious intentions are clear before the world. It cannot proliferate its own version of the case anymore.
Now at the end I would like to say that, the world must wake up and asked India to explain its spying games against Pakistan to accomplish its objectives. The international military establishment and organization must also questioned Indian way of using spying games in the region as indulging in anti-state activities is open violation of international law and norms.