They were to be repatriated this week.

Angered by Pakistan’s decision to award the death sentence to Kulbushan Jadhav, a top government official said on Monday that India would stall the release of 12 Pakistani prisoners, who were to be repatriated this week.

India took the decision after Pakistan army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa approved the death sentence for Jadhav, who was arrested in March 2016, allegedly in Balochistan for alleged "espionage and sabotage" activities.

The repatriation of Pakistani prisoners who had completed their sentences has been in practice since 2008 when India and Pakistan signed a joint agreement. Since May 2014, when the NDA government came to power, around 80 Pakistani prisoners were deported after serving their sentences.

“It is not the right time for the release of Pakistani prisoners. We are planning harsher steps to protest the death sentence to Jadhav,” said the official.

The death sentence to Jadhav, 46, was confirmed by the Pakistan army chief after the Field General Court Martial (FGCM) found him guilty of "all the charges", as stated by the military's media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), in Rawalpindi.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar summoned the Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit and issued a strongly worded demarche.