Jadhav's wife, mother spoke to him for 40 minutes across glass barrier in Pakistan

Pakistan on Monday facilitated the much-awaited meeting between death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav and his wife and mother.

Jadhav has been accused by Pakistan of spying.

After languishing in prison for almost 21 months, Jadhav met his wife and mother in the heavily guarded premises of Pakistan's foreign office. The meeting lasted for 40 minutes.

What was discussed in the meeting is still unclear as officials made elaborate measures so that the conversation is not leaked to the media.

Even the deputy high commissioner of Indian High Commission in Pakistan, JP Singh, who accompanied Jadhav's family to the foreign office and was present at the scene, couldn't listen to the conversation.

Briefing media personnel soon after the meeting got over, a spokesperson of the foreign office said it was allowed in line with 'Islamic practices and teachings.'

"Pakistan permitted the request by India purely on humanitarian grounds. Commander Jadhav's actions at India's behest have deprived many mothers of their sons and daughters. Pakistan upholds the Islamic morals and values which teach mercy, grace and compassion for all," Faisal, the spokesperson, said.

Pakistan has accused Jadhav, an Indian naval officer, of espionage, terrorism and subversive activities against Pakistan. It said he confessed about his activities before the court.

"In his mercy petition to the Chief of Army Staff on compassionate grounds, in June 2017, he again admitted his involvement in espionage, terrorist and subversive activities against Pakistan and expressed remorse at the resultant loss of precious innocent lives and damage to property. He has admitted of involvement in the assassination of SSP Aslam Chaudhry in Karachi. He has also confessed to targeting various workers of FWO, who were conducting construction activities, in Balochistan, and many IED attacks carried out in Quetta, Turbat and other cities," the Pakistan foreign office said.

Later in the evening, a press note issued from the foreign office spokesperson said India was provided with a copy of the passport that was in the possession of Commander Jadhav, when he was apprehended.

"The passport bears a Muslim name, Hussein Mubarak Patel. India has been unable and unwilling to provide an explanation about how and why an authentic Indian passport was used on a false ID, not once but at least 17 times, as Commander Jadhav travelled in and out of India," the press note said.

"We received an Indian request that the mother of Commander Jadhav may be permitted to meet him. The (Indian) diplomat was present during the meeting and he could see Commander Jadhav. He was not allowed to speak or listen to the conversation," the press note added.

Commenting upon the development, Aamir Ghauri, editor of The News, Islamabad, said, "The upshot is Jadhav family's tete-a-tete and that it has finally happened. We can only guess about what a son and mother talked about in such circumstances or a man and wife spoke about while others listened. Ideally, we should desist from such mundane snooping. But what we know for sure is that Pakistan has kept the door open for subsequent meetings."