LIVE UPDATES: Kulbhushan Jadhav family arrives in Islamabad amid row over consular access

Kulbhushan Jadhav LIVE UPDATES: Former Indian Navy officer to meet his mother and wife in Islamabad.  (File Photo)

Former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav on Monday will be meeting his family members in Islamabad for the first time since his arrest and subsequent conviction on charges of espionage. Jadhav’s family travelled to Islamabad on a commercial flight and will return to Delhi the same day. The exact time of the meeting, which is set to take place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), is not known.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened around the offices of MOFA in Islamabad.  Sharpshooters have been deployed at the sprawling building ahead of the meeting.

Earlier today, Pakistan claimed that it has granted India consular access to Jadhav.

Pakistan Foreign Minister  Khwaja M Asif told Geo News that an Indian official will be allowed to be present during today’s meeting between Jadhav and his family members. Indian Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh will be accompanying Jadhav’s wife and mother for the meeting.

Asked specifically if it constituted consular access as an Indian official would be present in the meeting, Asif said, “Yes”.

“Had India been in place of us, it would not have given us this concession,” he said.

In India, PTI reported, officials downplayed Asif’s comments and maintained that Singh was only accompanying Jadhav’s family and it cannot be construed as “consular access”.

Opinion: Spy-For-Spy Politics

Kulbhushan Jadhav LIVE UPDATES:

12.45 pm: Jadhav’s family members will first visit the Indian High Commissioner’s office in Islamabad before heading to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reports Pakistan media.

12.30 pm: Pakistan previously said that Jadhav’s mother and wife were welcome to address the media if India permits them, but this is highly unlikely as India is not comfortable with the interaction.

12.15 pm: The exact time of the meeting is still not known. The meeting could last for an hour, PTI reported.  Meanwhile, heavy security has been deployed in and around the MOFA office. Sharpshooters will keep a strict vigil outside the building.  Roads leading to the Constitution Avenue, on which MOFA is located, have been closed for traffic. Special security passes have been issued for those visiting the Foreign Office.

12.00 pm: Kulbushan Jadhav’s family has arrived in Islamabad after taking a connecting flight from Dubai. They will meet Jadhav at the offices of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) later in the day. Jadhav’s mother and wife will then leave for Delhi the same day. They will first travel to Muscat via Oman Air, before boarding an Air India flight to Delhi.

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Earlier this week, the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi had issued visas to Jadhav’s mother and wife. The visas were issued after Pakistan decided to allow Jadhav’s mother to visit him, apart from his wife. The meeting will take place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad.

Responding to Pakistan’s offer of agreeing to let Jadhav meet his wife on “humanitarian grounds,” India had requested a sovereign guarantee that the family would not be harassed or questioned when they visit him.

Earlier, Islamabad has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav claiming that New Delhi wants to extract information gathered by its “spy”. In its counter-memorial submitted to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Pakistan said the provision of such an access under the Vienna Convention is only for legitimate visitors and not for spies, a media report said.

While Pakistan claims that Jadhav was arrested by security forces from Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran, the Indian side maintains that he was kidnapped in Iran where he did business. His execution was stayed by the International Court of Justice on India’s appeal.