Indian sentenced to three years for espionage in Pakistan

An Indian national by the name of Hamid Nehal Ansari, who had gone missing over three years ago, has been sentenced to three years imprisonment for espionage in Pakistan.

According to Dawn, officials state that Ansari was convicted two days ago in Kohat and was shifted to Peshawar Central Prison.

He has a right to appeal under the Pakistan Army Act.

Sources at the Dawn said that Ansari had confessed to illegally entering Pakistan from Afghanistan for espionage and that he had seven Facebook accounts as well as around 30 email addresses.

He was also reportedly found to be in possession of sensitive documents.

Last month, the defence ministry had informed the Peshawar High Court that Ansari was in the custody of Pakistan Army and was being tried by court martial.

On January 13th, a two-member bench had disposed of a habeas corpus petition filed by Fauzia Ansari, the convict's mother, against his alleged illegal detention.

"Agencies working under the administrative control of this ministry: ISI and MI, GHQ, were asked to provide requisite information. In response, Military Intelligence Directorate, GHQ, intimated that Hamid Nehal Ansari is in military custody and is being tried by court martial," read the written response of a deputy director (legal) of the ministry to the court's query.

Ansari, a 31-year-old MBA degree holder, was a teacher at the Mumbai Management College. His mother claimed he was in touch with some Pakistani friends who had suggested him to cross into Pakistan from Afghanistan without a visa. She claimed that he had become friends with a Pakistani woman through social media and had gone to Pakistan to meet her.