Jadhav’s confession: Fresh spy suspects detained amid diplomatic offensive

FO says granting India consular access to Jadhav under consideration

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan confirmed on Thursday that security agencies have arrested several suspects who are believed to be working for the Indian spy agency as its Foreign Office launched a diplomatic offensive to expose New Delhi’s sponsoring of terrorism in Pakistan.

The latest arrests were made last week and were based on information divulged by Kulbhushan Jadhav during interrogation, officials familiar with the developments told The Express Tribune on Thursday.



They said the suspects’ identities could not be revealed at this stage in order not to jeopardise the ongoing operation against the network of India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in Pakistan.

At his weekly news briefing on Thursday, FO spokesman Nafees Zakaria confirmed more arrests had been made on the basis of Jadhav’s interrogation.

He told reporters that the international community was being briefed through Pakistan’s diplomatic missions about the Indian spy’s arrest and his ‘voluntary confession’ regarding RAW’s role in stoking violence in Pakistan.



“We have briefed the P5 (the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council) and the European Union on the issue,” Zakaria said. He added that Jadhav’s revelations had vindicated Islamabad’s position and exposed India’s designs against Pakistan.

The spokesman recalled that Pakistan also submitted dossiers containing evidence of Indian ‘state-sponsored terrorism’ in the country to the UN and the United States government last year.



Asked to comment about prospects of bilateral talks in the wake of the spy controversy, Zakaria said Pakistan always believed that dialogue is the best way to resolve all issues with India. On granting India consular access to Jadhav, he said the matter was under consideration and the future course of action will depend on the final outcome of investigations.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2016.