If Pakistan executes Kulbhushan Jadhav, India must declare Balochistan ‘independent’: Swamy

New Delhi [India], Apr. 11 : With India and Pakistan engaged in a diplomatic warfare over the sentencing of Kulbhushan Jadhav, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Tuesday called on the Centre to respond by declaring Balochistan an independent country.

Speaking to ANI here, Swamy stated there is no point in speaking to Pakistan about due procedure, diplomatic and consular access or appeals.

"Pak has selected Jadhav saying that he was trying to create problems in Balochistan. India should now declare Balochistan an independent country. There are enough Balochi's in Delhi who can be asked to form a government in exile. Ultimately Pakistan will end up in four pieces," he said. Highlighting that Pakistan was a terror friendly state and would not change its incorrigible attitude, Swamy noted that India cannot deal with Islamabad in a civilized manner.

Meanwhile, the Parliament was rocked with the sentencing of Jadhav as both Houses witnessed an uproar over Pakistan's decision.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that Jadhav could not be a spy as he has a valid Indian visa, while Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj assured the Rajya Sabha that India would go out of the way to save him.

"There is no evidence of any wrongdoing by Kulbhushan Jadhav. This is an act of premeditated murder. I would caution Pakistan government to consider the consequences for our bilateral relationship if they proceed on this matter." Jadhav was arrested in March last year, "for his involvement in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan," according to a statement released by the Pakistan armed forces.

The statement said Jadhav confessed that he was tasked by Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), to "plan, coordinate and organize espionage / sabotage activities aiming to destabilize and wage war against Pakistan." A military court found Jadhav guilty on two counts of espionage and sentenced him to death.

India has strongly objected to the sentencing, saying consular officials were denied access to Jadhav during his trial.

Source: ANI