Vidya | Edited by Ganesh Kumar Radha Udayakumar
Mumbai, November 11, 2017 | UPDATED 17:26 IST
"It looks like the pressure from India and arguments made in the International Court of Justice have yielded a result," a friend of Jadhav's said.
Former Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav's friends are delighted with Pakistan's decision to allow his wife to visit him in jail.
"We are content that at least Kulbhusan Jadhav's wife is being allowed to meet him. It looks like the pressure from India and arguments made in the International Court of Justice have yielded a result," said Tulsidas Pawar, a friend of Jadhav's.
Kulbhushan Jadhav, accused of being an agent of India's Research and Analysis Wing, has been sentenced to death for alleged espionage. On Friday, the Pakistan Foreign Office said he would be allowed to meet his wife on "humanitarian grounds."
Pakistan previously demanded India's demands for consular access to Jadhav - several times. The United Nations' top court, the International Court of Justice, stayed Jadhav's execution earlier this year.
Tulsidas Pawar said Jadhav's friends don't know anything about the state of his health, or the location of his prison.
"Soon we may get some news. The Jadhav family has not spoken to us on this development. But we welcome this step," he said.
Subhash Jadhav, Kulbhushan's uncle and a retired Mumbai Police assistant commissioner, said the Jadhav family hadn't yet received any formal communication from the Indian government of the External Affairs ministry on Pakistan's offer.
HOPE
"We are celebrating," said Arvind Singh, another friend. "It has given us hope that the hearing on the 13th of December will be in our favour."
In September, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) asked Pakistan to make a counter-submission to India's written pleadings before December 13, when it will begin to hear the matter.
"Pakistan is under pressure from international agencies. Pakistan till now has denied counsel (consular) access to Jadhav. This is a move which they did because of ICJ pressure so that Pakistan can make a strong case," Arvind Singh said.
Vijay, the owner of a laundry business in Powai, fondly remembers Kulbhushan Jadhav as "sir" and his wife as "mataji."
Jadhav gave Vijay financial support when he needed it, and encouraged him to join the defence forces. But he couldn't because he failed an exam, and Jadhav was upset when he entered the laundry business.
Vijay last saw Jadhav last February.
"(I) am really thankful to Pakistan for allowing this meet," he said. "But it's not just mataji, but...the entire family should be allowed to meet him as even the kids would want to meet sir, and even his mother has not seen him for so long."
Balbir Singh, a friend of Vijay's, has been organising protest rallies against Pakistan since Kulbhushan's arrest.
Now, he says Islamabad's move has given Kulbhushan's neighbours hope that he'll be released.
'NOT SEEN FOR TWO MONTHS'
The Powai building where Kulbhushan Jadhav's family used to reside is deserted.
The watchman say they haven't been seen for two months.
Kulbhushan's uncle Subhash said he didn't know where Jadhav's wife currently is.
