India will seek consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav

NEW DELHI: India will continue to seek consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav, notwithstanding his meeting with his wife and mother on Monday, official sources here said.
Early in the morning, India had rejected Pakistani foreign minister Khawaja Asif 's assertion that by allowing India's deputy high commissioner J P Singh to accompany the two women, Pakistan had allowed consular access to the alleged Indian spy in Pakistan's custody.

In fact, Asif 's own ministry contradicted him later saying no consular access had been granted to India.

Not impressed by what they described as Pakistan's antics, official sources here said India's position had been clear all along that Jadhav was delivered a death sentence without being accorded basic legal rights under international law and that Pakistan's position in the case was farcical. India had described the death sentence to Jadhav as premeditated murder.

Indian officials pointed out that even the International Court of Justice (ICJ), while staying Jadhav's death sentence, had said that India should have been granted consular access to Jadhav in line with the Vienna Convention.

Pakistan though continues to use Jadhav's passport, which bears the name Hussein Mubarak Patel, to buttress its claim that Jadhav was an Indian spy involved in terrorist activities in Pakistan. Pakistani foreign office spokesperson Muhammad Faisal said after the meeting on Monday that the "Indian silence is telling''.

India has rejected Pakistan's allegations that Jadhav was involved in subversive activities and believes that he might have been abducted from Iran where he was apparently being harassed while operating a legitimate business.

Indian officials also found it "amusing'' that Pakistan sought to link the meeting with Islam, calling it the religion of peace which advocated mercy, and also the situation in Kashmir.

"The visit was allowed in line with Islamic practices and teachings. It is a gesture of good faith and compassion. Commander Jadhav's actions at Indian behest have deprived many mothers of their sons and daughters. Pakistan upholds Islamic morals and values which teach mercy, grace and compassion for all,'' said the spokesperson, adding that such decisions should serve as templates for others to follow, including in Jammu and Kashmir where "innocent blood continues to be spilled".

Indian officials said this was rich coming from a nation which was widely recognised as the fountainhead of all terrorism in the region.