Pakistan rules out immediate execution of Kulbhushan Jadhav

Later, Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj warned Pakistan of severe effect to bilateral ties if it went ahead with the execution of Jhadav. "I would caution Pakistan government to consider the consequences for our bilateral relationship if they proceed on this matter", said Swaraj.

According to the minister, the trial of Jadhav, who Pakistan said was working for the Research and Analysis Wing and arrested in March 2016 in Balochistan, lasted three and a half months.

India's foreign ministry said it had summoned Abdul Basit, Pakistan's high commissioner, to lodge a protest following the statement released by Pakistan army.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had also assured Lok Sabha MPs that the Centre will do everything possible to save Kulbhushan Jadhav.

"We condemn this act of Pakistan".

While condemning the action, Singh said that Pakistan had ignored all norms of law and justice. The Indian government acknowledged that Jadhav was a retired Indian Navy officer while saying he was not connected to government in any way at present.

Swaraj, in reply to a suggestion by the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, said, the Government will ensure that it will take up the case with the President of Pakistan and provide Jadhav, the best lawyers in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. "We pointed out that consular access to Jadhav would be an essential pre-requisite in order to verify the facts and understand the circumstances of his presence in Pakistan", the minister said.

"We can not remain oblivious to defending our sovereignty and protecting our independence", Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said.

Describing the proceedings that led to the 46-year-old's conviction as "farcical", the government has alleged that it had requested consular access 13 times and had been denied it.

“There is no evidence of wrongdoing by Jadhav.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor slammed Pakistan.

"What Pakistan is doing is not only an assault on India, it is an assault on worldwide laws, global conventions that affect everybody". They should be told that if this thing has happened to an Indian national today, it can happen to their national as well. Indian authorities say that Jadhav was abducted by the Taliban and sold off to Pakistan.

Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif yesterday said that their armed forces are fully capable and prepared to respond to any spectrum of threat. The Indian government can also threaten with completely freezing all channels of talk with Pakistan.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor urged the government to take the unity of the House and the nation on the issue to the worldwide level, given that Pakistan had clearly violated global law and convention while handing out the death sentence to Jadhav. "Taali do haath se bajti hai".

As a response, India has put on hold to the release of several Pakistani prisoners, scheduled for Wednesday.