A matter of Pak military high-handedness !

Syed Nooruzzaman

Kulbhushan Jadhav Whenever Pakistan is faced with a situation pregnant with serious implications, the r u l i n g establishment there invariably comes out with something nasty, causing a major controversy involving India. The handing of death sentence to former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav by a Pakistan army court should be viewed against this backdrop.
Jadhav, who became a businessman after retirement, was reportedly kidnapped by Pakistan's external intelligence network in early 2016 while he was in Iran for business purposes to punish him for his alleged involvement in espionage activities. He was, however, shown in their official records as having been picked up from somewhere in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province.

Nawaz Sharif The Jadhav issue had not hit media headlines till the case against Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif filed in their Supreme Court after the publication of the Panama Papers threatened to throw him out of power. For the first time, perhaps, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party

Imran Khan chief Imran Khan's drive to expose Mr Sharif and his family members for their involvement in moneylaundering activities abroad appeared to be leading to its logical conclusion --- the Pakistan Muslim League (N) leader being pushed to the verge of losing power. The Pakistan Supreme Court, which has given him relief by ordering an enquiry into the matter, could have punished him by not only dislodging him from power but also banning him from holding any public office for a few years in the absence of the Jadhav issue.

Hussain Haqqani The trial of Jadhav had been going on in a secretive manner till the Panama Papers issue took a very dangerous turn for Mr Sharif. Even many Pakistani thinkers are not convinced of the veracity of the case owing to the lack of openness in Jadhav's trial.
Pakistan's former Ambassador to the US Hussain Haqqani, currently the Director for South and Central Asia at the prestigious American think-tank Hudson Institute, has pointed out in his article carried in The Wall Street Journal that "But as with much about Pakistan, the trial's short and secretive timeline may have more to do with internal dynamics than with the merits of the case itself."
The army court's death sentence for Jadhav also came soon after "Mr Sharif had recently renewed calls for improving relations with India. Putting an Indian on death row is an easy way to scuttle momentum for new talks," he added. Interests of Pakistan's military and intelligence network remain at variance with those of the ruling political dispensation. The military's interests are best served when the two neighbours are at loggerheads with each other.
Whatever the power dynamics on the other side of the border, India cannot allow the verdict of Pakistan's army court to take effect. It has to do all it can to save Jadhav's life. Making use of Pakistan's military courtrelated laws, which provide a 40-day window in such situations, India has filed an appeal to be submitted to the Pakistan's Defence Ministry as well as to their army chief not to go ahead with executing the death sentence. It has now approached the US administration to force Pakistan to see the writing on the wall and allow an honourable exit to Jadhav from its illegal captivity.
Foreign affairs experts have suggested the exchange of a Pakistani spy, an ex-army officer, recently taken in custody from an India-Nepal border locality, with Kulbhushan Jadhav.
Any step that is taken will be justifiable if it goes to bring Jadhav back home alive. Freedom for him from the death row in a Pakistani jail is a matter of prestige for India.

Iran's silence on the issue is also surprising as India considers Iran as a historically friendly country, which has always been taking a pro-India stand on Kashmir and other issues at international forums.

The Pakistan authorities should realise the implications of not acting in accordance with the warning issued by India in view of the fact that Jadhav is an innocent Indian, and not a spy, who has been falsely implicated in various cases of bomb blasts. The allegation that he had in his possession two passports, one in an assumed Muslim name, when he was arrested cannot stand independent scrutiny as spies normally do not carry such identity papers with them, as experts have pointed out.
Iran's silence on the issue is also surprising as India considers Iran as a historically friendly country, which has always been taking a pro-India stand on Kashmir and other issues at international forums. There is still time for Teheran to see reason and come to the defence of the Indian national, whose life remains threatened because of the belligerent attitude of the Pakistan establishment.



		EDITOR'S MAIL MATTERS OF PUBLIC POLICY MARCH OF AYODHYA INDIAN PRESIDENCY REALPOLITIK FOR CREDIBLE OPPOSITION A GAME CHANGER DEFENCE MODERNISATION STATE OF EDUCATION DELHI MCD POLLS FRANKLY SPEAKING SACRILEGE IN PUNJAB KASHMIR WATCH CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN POLL-YEAR HIMACHAL KERALA UNDER LDF CHANDIGARH DIARY U.S. FOREIGN POLICY AMERICAN DIARY JADAV ISSUE INDO-BANGLADESH TIES CIVIL AVIATION HITS & MISSES TEST CRICKET SPORTS BOOK BAZAAR SIGNS OF THE TIMES MIGRATION & WOMEN'S RIGHTS YOGA IN DAILY LIFE-XIII ART OF LIVING Issue:May' 2017 Subscribe Now	JADAV ISSUE A matter of Pak military high-handedness ! Syed Nooruzzaman Kulbhushan Jadhav Whenever Pakistan is faced with a situation pregnant with serious implications, the r u l i n g establishment there invariably comes out with something nasty, causing a major controversy involving India. The handing of death sentence to former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav by a Pakistan army court should be viewed against this backdrop. Jadhav, who became a businessman after retirement, was reportedly kidnapped by Pakistan's external intelligence network in early 2016 while he was in Iran for business purposes to punish him for his alleged involvement in espionage activities. He was, however, shown in their official records as having been picked up from somewhere in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province. Nawaz Sharif The Jadhav issue had not hit media headlines till the case against Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif filed in their Supreme Court after the publication of the Panama Papers threatened to throw him out of power. For the first time, perhaps, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party Imran Khan chief Imran Khan's drive to expose Mr Sharif and his family members for their involvement in moneylaundering activities abroad appeared to be leading to its logical conclusion --- the Pakistan Muslim League (N) leader being pushed to the verge of losing power. The Pakistan Supreme Court, which has given him relief by ordering an enquiry into the matter, could have punished him by not only dislodging him from power but also banning him from holding any public office for a few years in the absence of the Jadhav issue. Hussain Haqqani The trial of Jadhav had been going on in a secretive manner till the Panama Papers issue took a very dangerous turn for Mr Sharif. Even many Pakistani thinkers are not convinced of the veracity of the case owing to the lack of openness in Jadhav's trial. Pakistan's former Ambassador to the US Hussain Haqqani, currently the Director for South and Central Asia at the prestigious American think-tank Hudson Institute, has pointed out in his article carried in The Wall Street Journal that "But as with much about Pakistan, the trial's short and secretive timeline may have more to do with internal dynamics than with the merits of the case itself." The army court's death sentence for Jadhav also came soon after "Mr Sharif had recently renewed calls for improving relations with India. Putting an Indian on death row is an easy way to scuttle momentum for new talks," he added. Interests of Pakistan's military and intelligence network remain at variance with those of the ruling political dispensation. The military's interests are best served when the two neighbours are at loggerheads with each other. Whatever the power dynamics on the other side of the border, India cannot allow the verdict of Pakistan's army court to take effect. It has to do all it can to save Jadhav's life. Making use of Pakistan's military courtrelated laws, which provide a 40-day window in such situations, India has filed an appeal to be submitted to the Pakistan's Defence Ministry as well as to their army chief not to go ahead with executing the death sentence. It has now approached the US administration to force Pakistan to see the writing on the wall and allow an honourable exit to Jadhav from its illegal captivity. Foreign affairs experts have suggested the exchange of a Pakistani spy, an ex-army officer, recently taken in custody from an India-Nepal border locality, with Kulbhushan Jadhav. Any step that is taken will be justifiable if it goes to bring Jadhav back home alive. Freedom for him from the death row in a Pakistani jail is a matter of prestige for India. Iran's silence on the issue is also surprising as India considers Iran as a historically friendly country, which has always been taking a pro-India stand on Kashmir and other issues at international forums. The Pakistan authorities should realise the implications of not acting in accordance with the warning issued by India in view of the fact that Jadhav is an innocent Indian, and not a spy, who has been falsely implicated in various cases of bomb blasts. The allegation that he had in his possession two passports, one in an assumed Muslim name, when he was arrested cannot stand independent scrutiny as spies normally do not carry such identity papers with them, as experts have pointed out. Iran's silence on the issue is also surprising as India considers Iran as a historically friendly country, which has always been taking a pro-India stand on Kashmir and other issues at international forums. There is still time for Teheran to see reason and come to the defence of the Indian national, whose life remains threatened because of the belligerent attitude of the Pakistan establishment.