Islamabad, Pakistan: Islamabad has rejected claim of New Delhi that terrorist Khulbhushan Yadav is a common prisoner.
According to a statement issued by Foreign Office (FO) Pakistan on Sunday, an Indian attempt to equate Commander Jhadav’s (Khulbhushan Yadav ) case with civilian prisoners and fishermen is a travesty of logic. Commander Jhadav is a serving Indian Naval officer and sent to Pakistan by its intelligence agency RAW for espionage, terrorism and subversive activities which resulted in loss of many innocent lives and damage to property.
It may be mentioned that Khulbhushan Yadav confessed that Indian intelligence agency RAW sent him for distorting peace in Pakistan. And Pakistan suffered massive human and economic loss due to his terrorist activities.
“Pakistan has sent 5 prisoners back to India on June 22, 2017 but India has not released 20 Pakistani prisoners even after completion of their punishment. India didn’t give consular access to 107 fishermen and 85 common citizens”, said FO Spokesperson.
Pakistan remains committed to the implementation of the 2008 Agreement on Consular access between India and Pakistan, which stipulates the exchange of comprehensive lists of nationals of each country in the other country’s jails twice a year on January 1 and July 1. These lists were exchanged on July 1.
Additionally, two juvenile Pakistanis Ali Raza and Babar Ali, who inadvertently crossed the border in July 2016, despite orders of the Indian courts, were repatriated after a year’s delay on 5 June 2017.
Indian humanitarian claims appear contrary to reality in view of the impossible conditions imposed for medical visas for Pakistani patients. Under the directive of the Prime Minister, arrangements are being made for such treatments/operations to be carried out in Pakistan.
“Pakistan has implemented the bilateral consular agreement in letter and spirit and is committed to ensuring that humanitarian cases are not held hostage to politics. We expect India to reciprocate through action rather then rhetoric”, add FO spokesperson.
