After Thursday's fiasco, Pakistan offers third consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav

New Delhi: After Thursday’s fiasco due to Pakistan’s restrictions at the meeting between two Indian high commission’s consular officials and imprisoned former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav in Islamabad, Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday offered India a third consular meeting without the presence of Pakistani security officers, according to media reports in Pakistan.

“They (India) had objected over the presence of security officials during the meeting, we are willing even to remove those officials. If India wants another access then our offer is open. If they (India) want to meet him tonight or tomorrow, we are ready,” Qureshi was quoted by Pakistani media reports as saying.

India had lodged a protest with Pakistan on Thursday after two Indian consular officials were “not given unimpeded, unhindered and unconditional access” to Jadhav as part of his second consular access on Thursday afternoon which New Delhi termed as “neither meaningful nor credible”.

New Delhi said that at this second consular access meeting that had been arranged, “Pakistani officials with an intimidating demeanour were present in close proximity of Jadhav” and a camera was also visible showing that the conversation with Jadhav was being recorded.

India is understood to be closely studying its legal options and may well file a review petition eventually in Pakistani courts against the verdict of a Pakistani military court that had, on April 10, 2017, sentenced Jadhav to death on charges of “espionage and sabotage”.