India has accepted Pakistan’s offer to arrange a meeting between Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death by a military court for alleged involvement in spying, and his wife, and requested that his mother too should be included in the meeting.
New Delhi responded to Islamabad’s offer, made on November 10, through diplomatic channels earlier this week. Details of India’s response have not been made public by officials but sources said India had asked that Jadhav’s mother and a consular official should be allowed to join the meeting.
In a tweet, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal said: “Indian reply to Pakistan’s humanitarian offer for Commander Jadhav received & is being considered.” He too did not give details.
Sources in Islamabad too said India had asked for Jadhav’s mother, Avantika Jadhav, to be allowed to join the meeting as she has a long-standing request to see her son.
The sources added that both sides were handling the matter with caution as they did not want any misstep to lead to a further deterioration of ties, which are already at an all-time low.
Earlier this month, Pakistan had offered to arrange the meeting between Jadhav, who was captured by security forces in March last year, and his wife “in Pakistan, purely on humanitarian grounds”.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier this month, Pakistan had offered to arrange the meeting between Jadhav, who was captured by security forces in March last year, and his wife “in Pakistan, purely on humanitarian grounds”.
{{/usCountry}}There has been speculation that the move could be an effort by Pakistan to mend ties with India. Officials in Islamabad had privately hinted that the meeting could take place in December.
The Pakistan government has so far not responded to a request made in April by Avantika Jadhav to meet her son. There has also been no response to her petition to grant clemency to her son.
The Pakistan Army chief is currently considering a Jadhav’s mercy petition after his request for clemency was turned down by a military appellate court.
Pakistan refers to Jadhav as a serving naval commander and claims he was working for the RAW spy agency. It has said he was apprehended after he “illegally crossed over” into the country.
India has denied that Jadhav is a serving navy personnel and also rejected Pakistan’s claim that he was a spy. New Delhi has said Jadhav was kidnapped from the Iranian port of Chabahar. It has also said that if Islamabad goes ahead with Jadhav’s execution, it will be regarded as a “case of premeditated murder”.
Jadhav’s execution was stayed after India took the matter to the International Court of Justice, which said he should not be executed till it gives a final ruling in the case. The ICJ is set to resume hearing Jadhav’s case next month, when it will consider “memorials” or written submissions from both countries.