Former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother met him for the first time after his detention in March 2016, but they were seated across a glass partition at the Pakistan Foreign Office. The two women reached the Pakistan Foreign Office in Islamabad amid tight security arrangements on Monday morning. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Foreign Office has clarified in a statement that they have not granted India consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav. The Pakistani media had earlier reported that the Pakistan government has granted consular access after denying the same for 22 times in a row. According to a report by Geo News, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif had said so. In India, officials however downplayed the comments by the Pakistani minister, maintaining that an Indian diplomat was only accompanying Jadhav's family and it cannot be construed as "consular access". Jadhav's family is expected to leave Pakistan soon after the meeting. India's Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh is also accompanying the family for the meeting. Twenty-two months since Kulbhushan Jadhav was taken into illegal detention in Pakistan, his family will finally get a glimpse of him on Monday. An official from the Ministry of External Affairs is also accompanying the two to Pakistan.
Stay tuned as Sanchari Chatterjee brings you LIVE updates:
Dec 25, 2017 3:54 pm (IST)
Kulbhushan Jadhav’s mother and wife leave from Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad as their meeting with him ended. The meeting lasted for roughly 40 minutes. The family will now head to the Indian High Commission for lunch, and will leave for the airport from there around 5pm IST.
#KulbhushanJadhav's mother and his wife at Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad after their meeting with him ended. Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh also present. pic.twitter.com/kpWP7VVUzm
The meeting between former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav and his wife and mother lasted a little over 30 minutes. Now they are headed for the Indian High Commission in Islamabad for lunch. The two women are expected to leave from Pakistan around 5pm.
Dec 25, 2017 3:40 pm (IST)
The Pakistan Foreign Office authorities are expected to address the media soon as the meeting between Kulbhushan Jadhav and his wife and mother comes to an end. The family won't be speaking to the media that is present right outside the Foreign Office in Islamabad.
Dec 25, 2017 3:36 pm (IST)
MEETING ENDS | The Pakistan Foreign Office has issued photos from inside the meeting venue even as there are reports emerging that meeting between Kulbhushan Jadhav and his wife and mother has ended.
NO PRIVATE MEETING | Denied a one-on-one meeting, former Indian Navy office Kulbhushan Jadhav met his wife and mother at the Pakistan Foreign Office in Islamabad sitting across a glass partition and speaking on a speaker phone. The phones that were provided to Jadhav and his family for the interaction were only speaker-enabled, with the receiver sealed so that they are not able to have any private conversations.
Dec 25, 2017 3:14 pm (IST)
Officers of the Pakistan Foreign Office are seen closely monitoring the brief interaction that Kulbhushan Jadhav was allowed to have with his mother and wife after a 22-month wait. Jadhav was not allowed to meet his family in close proximity and was only seated in different rooms, meeting them from across a glass partition.
Dec 25, 2017 3:10 pm (IST)
FIRST PHOTOS OF JADHAV SINCE DETENTION | In an exclusive photo clicked at the Pakistan Foreign Office, Kulbhushan Jadhav is seen interacting with his mother and wife across a glass partition. Jadhav wearing a blue coat can be seen sitting in a separate room from his family members who he is meeting after 22 months since his illegal detention.
Dec 25, 2017 2:56 pm (IST)
Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother and wife walk into the Pakistan Foreign Office in Islamabad.
From Pakistan's side, Foreign Office Director India Dr Fareha Bugti was present at the meeting between Kulbhushan Jadhav and his mother and wife. The two women arrived in the capital via Dubai in a commercial flight and are expected to leave soon after the meeting where they will be accompanied by Singh. Strict security measures are in place at the ministry, officials said.
Dec 25, 2017 2:36 pm (IST)
The wife and mother greeted the media after arrival but refused to respond to questions. Kulbhushan Jadhav's family arrived at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from the Indian High Commission where the wife and mother of Jadhav halted for more than half an hour. Jadhav was at the MOFA before the arrival of his family. It was not known where he had been kept before being transported to the ministry.
Dec 25, 2017 2:35 pm (IST)
Accompanied by Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh and a woman Pakistani official, TV footage showed Kulbhushan Jadhav's family entering the main building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the door shutting behind them. "The meeting between Jadhav and his wife and mother has started," Pakistani officials said.
Dec 25, 2017 2:30 pm (IST)
The Pakistan Foreign Office tweeted the image saying: "The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan . We honour our commitments."
Dec 25, 2017 2:24 pm (IST)
FAMILY WON'T TALK TO MEDIA | Sources say Kulbhushan Jadhav’s wife and mother will not be speakING to the media but officials of the Pakistan foreign office will brief the media persons present at the venue after the meeting.
Dec 25, 2017 2:20 pm (IST)
FAMILY SEATED INSIDE OFFICE | The Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “The mother and wife of Kulbhushan Jadhav are sitting comfortably in the ministry of foreign affairs Pakistan. We honour our commitments.”
Dec 25, 2017 2:09 pm (IST)
Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother come out of the car in front of the Pakistan Foreign Office, head towards the meeting room.
Wife, mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav reached Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad along with JP Singh, Deputy High Commissioner pic.twitter.com/8j4os0h64T
MEETING STARTS | Reports from Pakistan say the family members of Kulbhushan Jadhav has met him at the Pakistan Foreign Office in Islamabad. This is the first time Jadhav has been allowed to meet anyone from India for the first time since his detention in March 2016. India has been denied consular access to Jadhav 22 times in a row.
Dec 25, 2017 2:03 pm (IST)
Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and family reach the Pakistan Foreign Office, enter the meeting venue in Islamabad.
Islamabad: Wife, mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav reach Pakistan foreign affairs Ministry along with JP Singh, Deputy High Commissioner pic.twitter.com/6HFaQjAW4z
FAMILY REACHES MEETING VENUE | Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother walks into the Pakistan Foreign Office amid tight security arrangements. According to the Pakistan media, the meeting is likely to last 30 minutes and the family is expected to leave Pakistan around 6pm.
Dec 25, 2017 1:42 pm (IST)
30-MINUTE MEETING | Reports suggest Kulbhushan Jadhav will be allowed to see his wife and mother only for a short duration of 30 minutes. This much-awaited meeting comes 22 months after Jadhav was illegally detained by the Pakistani authorities in March 2016.
Dec 25, 2017 1:39 pm (IST)
Pakistani media reports Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother has left for the Foreign Office in Islamabad after paying a visit at the Indian High Commission.
Dec 25, 2017 1:38 pm (IST)
RECAP | Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Kulbhushan Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel from its restive Balochistan province on March 3, 2016 after he reportedly entered from Iran. India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy.
Dec 25, 2017 1:36 pm (IST)
Pakistan on December 20 issued visas to Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother to visit Islamabad to meet him. Pakistan had agreed that a diplomat from the Indian high commission in Islamabad would accompany the visitors.
Dec 25, 2017 1:14 pm (IST)
Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother headed for the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. (Image: CNN-News18)
Dec 25, 2017 1:08 pm (IST)
Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother to first visit the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. The meeting is expected to take place at 1pm (Pak time): Pak media
Dec 25, 2017 1:05 pm (IST)
PAK FOREIGN OFFICE CLARIFIES | Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement Monday that arrested Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav has not been given consular access. Clarifying earlier reports in the media, the Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal said the presence of Indian diplomat during the scheduled meeting between Jadhav and his family does not mean Jadhav has been given Indian consular access.
Dec 25, 2017 1:02 pm (IST)
Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother would be immediately travelling back to India via Oman. They will travel to Muscat on Oman Air and then will board Air India flight to New Delhi. Pakistan has announced it will issue photos and video of the meeting. Officials also said Jadhav's family would not interact with the media.
Dec 25, 2017 12:56 pm (IST)
Visuals from outside the Foreign Office in Islamabad.
Shots of Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs premises in Islamabad; Indian national #KulbhushanJadhav's wife and mother to arrive here shortly to meet him pic.twitter.com/nxlfhWsazz
Geo News reports, Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and family headed towards the Indian High Commission office, to meet Jadhav after that.
Dec 25, 2017 12:50 pm (IST)
This is the first access anyone from India will have access to former Indian Naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was illegally detained by Pakistani officials in March 2016. Pakistan authorities granted visas to Jadhav's wife and mother while denying consular access to India 22 times in a row since his arrest last year.
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