Islamabad, December 25 (Express Tribune): The mother and wife of Kulbhushan Jadhav, who is on death row, met the alleged Indian spy in the federal capital on Monday after Pakistan allowed them to meet Jadhav.
The much-talked-about meeting was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where elaborate security arrangements have been put in place
Jadhav’s mother Avanti Jadhav and wife Chetankul Jadhav were accompanied by India’s Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh during their meeting. Dr Fareha Bugti was also present from Pakistan’s side. According to the foreign office, the meeting was to be for 30 minutes.
The duo arrived from India at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport via flight EK-612 earlier today and are expected to catch a flight back to India this evening after the meeting takes place.
In a statement, the Foreign Office said Pakistan permitted the convicted Indian spy to meet his family members on humanitarian grounds on the day of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’ birth.
Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria hoped that the meeting of Jadhav with his wife and mother would take place in a cordial atmosphere.
Consular access to Jadhav
The spokesperson for the FO Dr Mohammad Faisal, on Monday, also clarified that Pakistan has not given any consular access to Jadhav.
According to Express News, Dr Faisal said, “The presence of JP Singh in the meeting of the Indian spy with his family members should not be considered consular access.”
Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, on Sunday, however, had said Pakistan could allow India consular access to convicted spy Jadhav while adding that India would not have done the same if Pakistan was in a similar position.
In an interview, the minister had said Jadhav’s case was being heard by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and Pakistan did not want India to create an impression that he was being denied access to his family.
Kulbhushan Jadhav: The story so far
The Indian spy was arrested in March 2016 by Pakistani security forces from Balochistan. A few days later, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) released his recorded statement in which he confessed to working for RAW to foment violence in Pakistan, Balochistan in particular.
Later in April, he was given the death sentence by a military tribunal on charges of espionage and his involvement in subversive and terrorist activities. His mercy petition is still pending before the army chief.
India, disputing Pakistan’s claim that Jadhav was a spy, went to the ICJ that stayed his execution till its final verdict. Pakistan also contested Indian claims before the ICJ in a recent reply submitted before The Hague-based court. Islamabad presents Jadhav’s case as living proof of RAW’s involvement in terrorist activities in Pakistan.
(The feaured image at the top shows Avanti and Chetankul, mother and wife of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, meeting him at the Pakistan Foreign Office in Islamabad on Christmas day which is also Mohd.Ali Jinnah’s birthday)
