Defence minister dismisses Indian accusations of 'premeditated murder' over Jadhav sentencing

E-Paper | March 02, 2026

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday dismissed India's accusations that the sentencing of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav was a "premeditated murder".

Hitting out at New Delhi during a Senate briefing, Asif said Pakistan had followed 'due legal process' in prosecuting Jadhav.

"There was nothing in the [legal] proceedings that was against the law," the minister told lawmakers. "The trial went on for three months."

Indian spy Jadhav was handed the death sentence on April 10 by a Field General Court Martial for his involvement in espionage and sabotage on Pakistan's soil.

He was arrested on March 3, 2016 in a 'counter-intelligence operation' in Balochistan's Mashkel area.

The accused had been provided a defending officer for his trial as per the provisions of the law, government officials repeatedly said.

Referring to the Indian response to Jadhav's sentencing, Asif said: "They used the term 'premeditated murder'. As a reply, all I want to say is that we have followed all the rules and regulations, and the laws of the land."

"We have done absolutely nothing that is against the rules and regulations, but there is premeditated murder going on even today in Kashmir," the defence minister said.

"It was premeditated murder in Gujarat. It was premeditated murder [when the] Samjhota Express [was attacked]," he said, adding that Pakistan has tried time and again to reconcile differences with India, but New Delhi has failed to cooperate.

Asif also said Pakistan will not make any concessions for elements working against the security and the stability of the country, "whether they're operating from inside Pakistan or from outside it".

The defence minister further said that the government is in a position to deal with such elements "with an iron fist".

"No other country has been a target of terrorism the way Pakistan has," Asif said, adding that there are no parallels to the successes Pakistan has made against terrorism.

"We will defend our homeland at all costs," he added.

Earlier today, Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj assured lawmakers in her parliament that New Delhi would go "out of its way" to save Jadhav from death row in Pakistan.

Referring to Jadhav's sentence as an "act of premeditated murder", the minister assured parliamentarians that the government would not stop at just ensuring Jadhav has the best of lawyers to fight his case in the Supreme Court, but would "go out of the way to save him".

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M.Saeed

Apr 11, 2017 04:59pm

You can never satisfy a the well wishers of a condemned criminal.

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Falcon1

Apr 11, 2017 05:01pm

Why is a Defense Minister talking about Due Process? Where is, or rather Who is, Pakistan's Attorney General or Federal Law Minister??

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Citizen26

Apr 11, 2017 05:23pm

Trials of spies should be conducted on whatever way Pakistan wants to trial them not on terms of International laws and norms. Hence countries that are willing to send spies should do it on their own risks.

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Skeptic

Apr 11, 2017 05:32pm

Pakistan is an odd system of government. The Law Minister of Punjab is first to speak out against alleged Terror attacks, and deflects public's attention to possible exploding gas cylinders. Never the Police Officials, Defense Minister or the Rangers. Now the Defense Minister is offering his opinion on a matter he has no expertise in. This is a job of the Attorney General or Minister of Law, or the lawyer who was appointed to prosecute or defend the individual in question. Mr. Khwaja has no legal training, was not present during the entire trial process and is not the personal responsible for the prosecution of spies. The system is entirely upside down... Next the Minister of Agriculture or Religious Affairs will perhaps offer his advise on how to revive PIA, or how to attract foreign investments??

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CHitti

Apr 11, 2017 05:34pm

Then why no consular access given? It is established international law to give consular access.

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Raghu

Apr 11, 2017 05:49pm

Exchange held spies and end the matter... its now become an emotional issue in both countries.. be mature nations pls...

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KHAN SAAB

Apr 11, 2017 05:58pm

Bravo Asif! first time you win my respect.

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TROLLROLL

Apr 11, 2017 06:01pm

@CHitti Not necessarily - no consular access need be granted in case of a person being accused of espionage

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Israr khan ismail

Apr 11, 2017 06:01pm

Wow, even though I am not a big fan of this govt, this was the right thing to be said at this time. Hopefully they will be to back it up with actions too.

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TROLLROLL

Apr 11, 2017 06:02pm

@Raghu Maturity is when 'your' country stops meddling in 'our' affairs. Your NSA chief himself admits being in Pakistan for years pursuing his nefarious designs

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TROLLROLL

Apr 11, 2017 06:05pm

@Skeptic There is nothing wrong with him in briefing the senate. He is the defence minister, directly responding to the threats by Indian home minister and the minister of external affairs.

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ABE

Apr 11, 2017 06:09pm

@TROLLROLL - You know nothing about International Law, Protocol or the topic at hand. Defense Minister is not an expert on Due Process. Nor is a Foreign Minister, Interior Minister. All foreign nationals apprehended on your soil are entitled to a consular access - regardless of their status.

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SANTOSH

Apr 11, 2017 06:12pm

Make all evidence against kulvushan jadhab public.

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MURTAZA ali

Apr 11, 2017 06:15pm

@CHitti consular access is not to be given to a spy,be realistic and accept the malignity of state of India toward Pakistan.

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karar

Apr 11, 2017 06:15pm

Then why not make the evidence public we need to see what kind of activities he accused for and how prosecutors came to conclusion of a death sentence?

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DIL

Apr 11, 2017 06:20pm

Well done Minister !

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shahid sulaman

Apr 11, 2017 06:20pm

Good News after long time.

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Pakistan

Apr 11, 2017 06:22pm

@SANTOSH What is the use of it, Your Government does not want to accept and like their own way... In fact they denied he was not RAW agent so why they are now pursuing for his release...

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TROLLROLL

Apr 11, 2017 06:44pm

@ABE Well let's hear it from the expert...please quote me the sections with valid references from the international law that allows a spy to be given the consular access. Remember, he was involved in killing and/or maiming of Pakistani nationals. He has no rights.....period!

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ali

Apr 11, 2017 07:16pm

Where is our Prime minister these days and why is so mum on this important case.

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Maqsood

Apr 11, 2017 07:19pm

Good

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HIBISCUS

Apr 11, 2017 07:28pm

Now that the judgement is given, the case and evidences will now be created accordingly.

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N_Saq

Apr 11, 2017 07:33pm

Relations between the two countries are at their lowest point and cannot go lower. The Indian leadership is the reason for all the animosity between the two countries and the ball is in Indian leadership courts to make things right between the two countries. You cannot make peace with preconditions and you cannot make peace when you keep sending in your spies to destabilize a country. Thousands of Pakistanis have been killed due to this Indo-Afghan spy terror network and it is time for Pak to send a strong signal. This is the first time such high ranking spy is caught and to make an example out of him will go a long way making others think twice before entering Pak borders with nefarious design. I will add that Pak must still leave the door open, if India is ready to start the peace dialogue without preconditions and take concrete steps towards Pak concerns i.e. stop all violations of LOC, lift the siege off IOC etc then yes Pak can hold on to carrying out the sentence of Mr Jadhav.

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Saif zulfiqar

Apr 11, 2017 07:36pm

@Falcon1, Every Pakistani minister has a right to speak about the matters related to the country. The End.

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Saif zulfiqar

Apr 11, 2017 07:39pm

@TROLLROLL, You are only troll and does not have right to know anything. Tell your ministers to comment.

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Ajay

Apr 11, 2017 07:43pm

@ali because he knows the truth.

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Falcon who

Apr 11, 2017 07:55pm

@Falcon1 The defence minister is talking about due process because it is a case involving Pakistan's national security, and because your country is found instigating terrorism there. He has every right to brief the committee. The only one who shouldn't be talking is your Indian media which is conducting bogus media trial with concocted facts and figures.

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Hassan Ashraf

Apr 11, 2017 08:06pm

Our big mouths vs. your big mouths.

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concerned citizen

Apr 11, 2017 08:34pm

@SANTOSH : No we do not have to, and we are not here to obey India, it is now our internal matter and for the security of our country we will proceed as we please.

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fawad

Apr 11, 2017 08:57pm

@Raghu He was not just a spy. He caused deaths in Pakistan by assisting the terrorists. There is no way he goes free in an exchange.

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Mahesh vyas

Apr 11, 2017 08:59pm

@Pakistan because he is an Indian citizen.

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Khan

Apr 11, 2017 09:34pm

Well said minister.

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shanti

Apr 12, 2017 12:22am

Open trial and consular access would have cleared the air around this issue. Every prisoner of war/spy/captured soldier needs to be treated respectfully.

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Omair

Apr 12, 2017 01:28am

Every one deserves a fair trial

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Sab se pehle pakistan

Apr 12, 2017 06:53am

PML-N and its drama. First ask your leader to pull his investments out from India.

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Indian

Apr 12, 2017 07:01am

@Pakistan .. because an Indian is an Indian to India. Equal rights for everybody. God bless India

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RACH

Apr 12, 2017 08:44am

@TROLLROLL Pls look at 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. This obligates the government of any country who detains / arrests a foreign national to provide consular access to their home country.

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M Jamil

Apr 12, 2017 10:40am

@CHitti, because the case involves espionage. Without a doubt matters relating to Pakistan's national security were discussed during the trial. As such it was correct not to provide consular access. Your question is similar to asking the prisoners to look after the prison keys, so that if such consular access was provided, more secrets would or could be passed to the Indian Counsel. Even in UK, such trials are held in secret and without public involvement and the verdict is brought into the public.

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