Pakistan has gone one step further in connecting Indian national Kulbhushan Jadav to "subversive activities" in the country when it said that arrested Karachi-based don Uzair Baloch was helping him in espionage. The Pakistan Army arrested Baloch on Wednesday morning in accordance with the Pakistan Army act.
Jadhav's arrest and subsequent death sentence by Pakistan military court has rankled the Indian government, which claims Jadhav is an innocent man and action against him as pre-meditated murder. India has warned Pakistan that there will consequences to their bilateral relations if they execute Jadhav, while Pakistan has warned India that Jadhav is a warning to those acting against their country.
Uzair Baloch taken into military custody under Pakistan Army Act / Official Secret Act - 1923. (1 of 2)
— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) April 11, 2017
On charges of espionage (leakage of sensitive security information to foreign intelligence agencies). (2 of 2)
— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) April 11, 2017
Baloch was arrested by Rangers personnel outside Karachi in 2016 January, which the force said was a raid. He was later handed over to the police on remand.
A joint investigation team (JIT) was formed in May 2016, which said that Baloch worked for an Iranian intelligence agency.
According to the JIT report, Baloch was involved in "espionage activities by providing secret information regarding army installations and officials to foreign agents (Iranian intelligence officers) which is a violation of the Official Secret Act 1923", said Pakistan media.
Pakistan had claimed that Jadhav entered Pakistan from Iran, while India claimed that the Indian businessman was arrested from Iran. Pakistan has called him a spy who works for Research and Analysis Wing.
Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj said on Tuesday the charges against Jadhav were concocted.
"I would like to inform the House that Shri Jadhav was doing business in Iran and was kidnapped and taken to Pakistan. The exact circumstances are unclear and can only be ascertained if we have consular access to him," she said in parliament.
Pakistan government has not provided India access to Jadhav even though they took up the issue with Pakistan authorities.
"He is the victim of a plan that seeks to cast aspersions on India to deflect international attention from Pakistan's well-known record of sponsoring and supporting terrorism. Under these circumstances, we have no choice but to regard the sentence, if carried out, as an act of pre-meditated murder," she added.
