India has responded to Pakistan’s note verbale offering to arrange a meeting between former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who is on death row in the neighbouring country, and his wife.
The offer was made on 10 November by the Pakistan foreign office through the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
Pakistan foreign office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal on Saturday confirmed that Islamabad had received India’s response to its offer which was being considered. “Indian reply to Pakistan’s humanitarian offer for Commander Jadhav received & is being considered,” he tweeted.
Reports from Islamabad said New Delhi had asked Islamabad to grant a visa to Jadhav’s mother too to travel to Pakistan and meet her son. However, there was no confirmation available from the Indian side.
Pakistan’s offer is being considered as a positive development in Indian circles. New Delhi is believed to have sought some more clarifications in its response.
Jadhav has been languishing in a Pakistani jail since 3 March 2016 on charges of espionage and conspiring to destabilise Pakistan. Despite repeated requests, New Delhi has not been granted consular access to Jadhav so far. India has taken the Jadhav case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The ICJ, in its provisional order in May, ordered a stay on Jadhav’s execution pending completion of the trial. Pakistan has to submit its response in the case to the ICJ by 13 December.
The Statesman News
