Let mom too visit Jadhav: India to Pak

Smita Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 23

India has asked Pakistan to allow jailed Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav’s mother Avantika to accompany his wife for a meeting proposed by Islamabad.

A former Indian Navy officer, Jadhav has been lodged in a Pakistan jail on charges of espionage and sentenced to death without having been granted any consular access despite official requests since March last year. MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar today elaborated on the conditions put forth by India in its response to the Pakistani note verbale offering a meeting.

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Talking about India’s “positive response”, Kumar said: “We have also sought sovereign guarantee from the Government of Pakistan to ensure the safety, security and wellbeing of the wife and the mother of Jadhav and that they shall not be questioned, harassed or interrogated during their stay. We have asked that a diplomat of the Indian High Commission be allowed to accompany them at all times.”

Meanwhile, hoping that Islamabad would facilitate the meeting, New Delhi also reiterated the intent to “pursue all measures with full vigour so as to secure the final release of an innocent Indian”.

“Such a meeting offer does not absolve Pakistan of the violations of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and Human Rights and not following the due process in treating Jadhav, who faces the death sentence through a farcical process and on concocted charges,” underlined the MEA spokesperson.