RAWALPINDI ------- Indian spy Kulbhushan Yadhav has filed a petition looking for forgiveness from Chief of Army Staff Qamar Javed Bajwa over death sentence given to him by a Field General Court Martial, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced on Thursday.
In his plea, Commander Yadhav has acknowledged his participation in espionage, terrorist & rebellious activities in Pakistan & expressed regret at the resultant loss of many valuable innocent lives & extensive harm to property due to his actions.
Seeking forgiveness for his actions he has requested the Chief of Army Staff to spare his life on compassionate grounds.
Commander Yhadav had earlier appealed to the Military Appellate Court which was rejected.
Under the law he is qualified to appeal for clemency to the COAS (which he has done) & if overruled, subsequently to the President of Pakistan.
Kulbushan Sudhir Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel was detained on March 3, 2016, through a Counter-Intelligence Operation from Mashkel area of Balochistan for his involvement in espionage & damage activities in Pakistan.
The agent, arrested from Balochistan, in a video confession had admitted for being involved in anti-Pakistan activities.
But India has claimed that he is not a spy, alleging that he was kidnapped by Pakistan. It lodged a case against Islamabad, accusing the Pakistanis of violating the Vienna Convention by failing to provide him the consular access, as well as breaking the international human rights law.
New Delhi also filed appeal in the International Court of Justice to impose emergency measures to suspend Kulbhushan’s execution until the legal battle in The Hague had decided.
The UN´s top court on May 18, ordered Pakistan to stay the execution of Kulbhushan Yadav until the final judgement in the case.
The ICJ has set the next dates for India & Pakistan to present their written proposals, or ‘memorials’ on September 13 & December 13 respectively.