Pakistan trying to falsely link Kulbhushan Jadhav issue with another case

New Delhi, Dec 04: Pakistan is attempting the Kulbhushan Jadhav case with that of another Indian, the Ministry of External Affairs said, while lashing out at the neighbouring nation.

The MEA said that the Jadhav case is being linked to another India, who is stall in jail and awaiting repatriation despite him completing his sentence.

In 2008, Islmail Samma (53) a resident of the Nana Dinara village in Gujarat's Kutch district went missing after he strayed into the Pakistan side in 2008, while grazing cattle. He was arrested and sentenced to five years in jail in Pakistan on espionage charges in October 2011.

Pakistan media reports claimed that the counsel for the Indian High Commission, Shahnawaz Noon had told the Islamabad High Court that Deputy High Commissioner, Gaurav Ahluwalia wants to explain his stance over the appointment of a lawyer for the death row prisoner Jadhav. India was concerned about the prolonged detention of Ismail and made it clear that Noon had made the remarks without any authorisation.

The MEA spokesperson, Anurag Srivastava said that Pakistan is trying to link the case of Jadhav with another prisoner's case. He also said that in a routine consular practise, Noon Wass selected by the Indian High Commission to appear in the case for the release and repatriation of Ismail.

However during the proceedings of the case relating to Ismail, Pakistan raised the matter pertaining to Jadhav though the two cases are not linked. Noon is reported to have made those statements which are not true and are in contravention of our stand in the case. He appears to have acted under pressure from the Pakistan establishment to make such statements, for which he has no authorisation. Noon has misrepresented the position of the Indian High Commission, the MEA spokesperson also said.

He further added that Noon had been clearly told by the Indian High Commission that he had no authority to represent either the government of India or Jadhav.