UN on Jadhav’s death sentence: ‘We are not in the position to judge the process’

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Updated: Apr 18, 2017 19:19 IST

Amid spiralling Indo-Pak tensions over the death sentence handed down by Pakistan to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, the UN on Thursday underlined the need for the two countries to engage in dialogue.

However, the world body said it was not in a position to comment on Jadhav’s case.

“We are not in the position to judge the process, to have a position on this particular (Kulbhushan Jadhav) case,” UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at his daily briefing here in response to a question on the death sentence awarded to Jadhav by a Pakistani military court.

“Overall in terms of relations between India and Pakistan, we continue to underline the need for the parties to find a peaceful solution through engagement and dialogue,” Dujarric said.

His remarks come just days after Pakistan army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa approved Jadhav’s execution after a military court sentenced him to death for “espionage and sabotage activities”, evoking a sharp reaction from India which warned Islamabad to consider the consequences on bilateral ties if he is hanged.

Reacting strongly to Jadhav’s sentencing, India has said that if the ruling was carried out, “the government and people of India will regard it as a case of premeditated murder”.