Manufactured facts cannot alter reality: India on Jadhav's new confessional video

New Delhi [India], June 23 (ANI): Hours after Pakistan's Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) released a statement in which it said that a mercy petition has been filed by alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Bajwa against his death sentence, India has said that it brings out the lack of transparency and farcical nature of proceedings against the Indian national on concocted charges. Issuing a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, "The developments bring out once again the lack of transparency and farcical nature of proceedings against Mr. Jadhav on concocted charges, continued violation of his legal and consular rights and an attempt to introduce prejudice in the proceedings in the International Court of Justice (ICJ)." "Pakistan has never disclosed even to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Jadhav's purported appeal to a military tribunal in Pakistan and has effectively prevented his parents from pursuing the appeal and the petition filed by Jadhav's mother," it added. New Delhi also raised its doubts over the existence of the 'so-called' mercy petition filed by Jadhav. "The details and circumstances of the alleged mercy petition by Jadhav are not clear and even the fact of its existence is doubtful, shrouded as the proceedings against Jadhav have been in opacity," it read. The government had, earlier this week, once again demanded consular access to Jadhav and reiterated his family's request for visas. "Manufactured facts cannot alter the reality, and do not detract from the fact that Pakistan is in violation of its international obligation to India and Jadhav. We expect Pakistan to abide by the order of ICJ staying Jadhav's execution and desist from attempting to influence the ICJ proceedings through false propaganda," the statement said. "India is determined to pursue the matter in ICJ and is confident that justice will be done without being affected in any manner by these unwarranted and misleading steps taken by Pakistan," it added. According to a statement released by Pakistan's ISPR, the alleged Indian spy has admitted to charges of espionage, terrorism and subversive activities in the state. Meanwhile, the case is underway in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) after India in May appealed against the death sentence to Jadhav, saying Pakistan had not granted India consular access, nor had accepted his family's appeals. The court has asked India to make its submission in the case by September 13 and Pakistan by December 13. Pakistan had also earlier said that Jadhav will not be executed till he "exhausts all his mercy appeals". (ANI)