Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz today admitted that the government was presented with only "insufficient evidence" on alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, a statement later refuted by the Foreign Office.
Addressing a full Senate chamber, Aziz said the dossier on Jadhav, who is under detention, contained mere statements.
"It did not have any conclusive evidence," he was quoted as saying by the Geo TV.
"What the dossier contained was not enough. Now it is up to the concerned authorities how long they take to give us more matter on the agent," Aziz said.
The website of the TV channel later removed Aziz’s remarks and replaced it with a statement released by Pakistan’s Foreign Office.
“The statement attributed to the Adviser (Sartaj Aziz) is absolutely incorrect,” a spokesperson was quoted as saying in a press release.
"The Adviser had said that the investigations regarding the network of Kulbhushan Yadav are ongoing and the dossier shall be completed upon conclusion of the investigation. There is irrefutable proof against Kulbhushan Yadav, who had also made a public confession in March this year,” it said.
Jadhav, who was reportedly arrested in Balochistan after he entered from Iran, has been accused by Pakistan of planning "subversive activities" in the country.
Pakistan Army had also released a "confessional video" of Jadhav, who said he was the serving Indian Navy officer.
India has acknowledged Jadhav as a retired Indian Navy officer, but denied the allegation that he was in any way connected to the government.
