WASIM IQBAL
RAWALPINDI: Indian RAW agent Kulbhushan Yadav has been awarded death sentence for carrying out espionage and subversive activities against Pakistan.
In a statement, the ISPR said that RAW agent Commander Kulbhushan Sudhir Yadav was tried by Field General Court Martial (FGCM) under section 59 of Pakistan Army Act (PAA) 1952 and Section 3 of official Secret Act, 1923.
“FGCM found Kulbhushan Sudhir Yadhav guilty of all the charges. He [Sudhir] confessed before a magistrate and the court that he was tasked by RAW to plan, coordinate and organise espionage / sabotage activities aiming to destabilise and wage war against Pakistan by impeding the efforts of law enforcement agencies for restoring peace in Balochistan and Karachi,” the statement added.
According to the ISPR, Indian RAW agent / naval officer 41558Z Commander Kulbhushan Sudhir Yadav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel was arrested on March 3, 2016 through a counter intelligence operation at Mashkel, Balochistan, for his involvement in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan. The spy has been tried through Field General Court Martial (FGCM) under Pakistan Army Act (PAA) and awarded death sentence. COAS Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Monday confirmed his death sentence awarded by FGCM.
According to the military, the accused was provided with defending officer as per legal provisions.
Before this, Kulbhushan Yadav’s confessional statement, which he recorded voluntarily, had already been released by ISPR in which the Indian spy agent admitted to fomenting terrorism in Balochistan and Karachi. His voluntary confession had been shown at a press conference jointly addressed by the then Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid and then DG ISPR Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa at Press Information Department.
In his confessional statement, he admitted, “I commenced intelligence operation in 2003 and established a small business in Chabahar in Iran as I was able to achieve undetected existence and visits to Karachi in 2003 and 2004 and having done some basic assignments within India for RAW.
His statement further said, “I was picked up by RAW in end-2013. Ever since I have been directing various activities in Balochistan and Karachi at the behest of RAW and deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi. I was basically the man for Ani Kumar Gupta, who is the joint secretary of RAW, and his contacts in Pakistan, especially in Balochistan Student Organisation.
“My purpose was to hold meetings with Baloch insurgents and carry out activities with their collaboration. These activities have been of criminal nature, leading to killing or maiming of Pakistani citizens,” he had further confessed.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said the death sentence of Kulbhushan Yadav should serve as a warning to those engaged in terrorism in Pakistan. He said that Yadav’s sentence is according to the law, adding all constitutional forces would be used against those acting against the sovereignty of Pakistan.
