Sartaj Aziz tears into India's claim of Jadhav being 'innocent'

Jadhav has been sentenced to death by a Pakistan military court on charges of espionage.

Advisor to Pakistan Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz blasted India's claims that former naval official Kulbhushan Jadhav was 'innocent' and asked why he was in possession of two passports.

"Why would an innocent person possess two passports, one with Hindu&other a Muslim name?" news agency ANI quoted Aziz as saying.

Aziz also slammed the "inflammatory statements and rhetoric of premeditated murder" issued by the Indian government, which he said "will only result in escalation, serving no useful purpose".

Aziz said the April 10 sentence on Jadhav was "as per the law of the land.. He (Jadhav) was involved in subversive activities in Pakistan."

He said that India has not responded to a "Letter of Assistance requesting specific information and access to certain key witnesses" that was shared with them on January 23 this year. "There has been no response from the Indian side so far."

The ministry of External Affairs had on Thursday claimed that Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death by a Pakistan military court on charges of espionage, was an innocent Indian who had been abducted.

MEA spokesperson Gopal Baglay said that Pakistan did grant consular access to Jadhav despite repeated requests.

"The Pakistan government has not shared any specific details about his condition...We are not aware of where he has been kept and Pakistan has not told us," Baglay told media on Thursday.

Meanwhile, even as India began building diplomatic pressure to bring back Kulbhushan Jadhav the former naval officer sentenced to death, top generals have told the dispensation in Pakistan not to agree to any demand. The generals in Pakistan who run the show in that country are not in favour of any compromise.

OneIndia News (with PTI inputs)