'Consular officers not given unimpeded, unhindered unconditional access to Kulbhushan Jadhav by Pak'

New Delhi, July 16: India on Thursday issued strong statement saying that the Pakistan officials with intimidating endeavour were present during consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav.

Pakistan's tactics of obstructive & insincere Consular Access to Indian National Kulbhushan Jadhav. India not given unimpeded, unhindered and unconditional access. Pakistani officials with an intimidating demeanour were present.''

"The consular officers were not given unimpeded, unhindered and unconditional access to Kulbhushan Jadhav by Pakistan," said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). "On the contrary, Pakistani officials with an intimidating demeanour were present in close proximity of Jadhav and Consular Officers despite the protests of the Indian side."

"It was also evident from a camera that was visible that the conversation with Jadhav was being recorded. He was visibly under stress and indicated that clearly to the Consular Officers. The arrangements did not permit a free conversation between them," it added.

India on Thursday said its officials have proceeded for a meeting with Indian death row convict Kulbhushan Jadhav in Pakistan and that it will assess the situation following a report from them.

"India has been requesting for an unimpeded, unhindered and unconditional consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav. On the basis of assurances provided our officials have proceeded for the meeting on Thursday," Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs Anurag Srivastava said.

He said India will assess the situation after the officials return and send a report.

"We will provide our comments thereafter," he said.

Earlier, Pakistan said it provided consular access Jadhav. The 50-year-old retired Indian Navy officer was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of "espionage and terrorism" in April 2017.

Weeks later, India approached the ICJ against Pakistan for denial of consular access to Jadhav and challenging the death sentence. The Hague-based ICJ ruled in July last year that Pakistan must undertake an "effective review and reconsideration" of the conviction and sentence of Jadhav and also to grant consular access to India without further delay.