Since former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested by Pakistani authorities in March last year, Islamabad has offered few details of the charges levelled against him except for vague allegations of fomenting unrest in Balochistan and Karachi.
On Friday, Pakistan’s foreign policy chief Sartaj Aziz publicly listed some of the specific charges against Jadhav for the first time while addressing a news briefing at the Foreign Office.
These are the “details of some terrorist activities” that Aziz sought to pin on Jadhav:
1. “He sponsored and directed IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) and grenade attacks in Gwadar and Trubat” in Balochistan province.
2. “Directed attacks on the radar station and civilian boats in the sea opposite Jiwani Port.”
3. “Funded subversive secessionist and terrorist elements through Hawala/Hundi for subverting the Pakistani youth against the country, especially in Balochistan.”
4. “Sponsored explosions of gas pipelines and electric pylons in Sibi and Sui areas in Balochistan.”
5. “Sponsored IED explosions in Quetta in 2015, causing massive damage to life and property.”
6. “Sponsored attack on Hazaras in Quetta and Shia Zaireen (pilgrims) en route to and back from Iran.”
{{/usCountry}}6. “Sponsored attack on Hazaras in Quetta and Shia Zaireen (pilgrims) en route to and back from Iran.”
{{/usCountry}}7. “Abetted attacks through anti-state elements against LEAs/FC (law enforcement agencies/Frontier Corps) and FWO (Frontier Works Organisation) in areas of Turbat, Punjgur, Gwadar, Pasni and Jiwani during 2014-15, killing and injuring many civilians and soldiers.”
However, the statement read out by Aziz at the briefing did not contain any evidence whatsoever to back up the charges against Jadhav.