Kulbushan Jadhav not under threat of immediate execution: Pak

New Delhi/ Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday rejected the insinuations that the mother and wife of Kubhushan Jadhav would be having last meeting with him on Monday, saying the Indian prisoner is under no threat of immediate execution.

Foreign Office spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal said Pakistan had decided to permit the meeting of the wife and mother of Jadhav with him purely on humanitarian grounds.

 "Let me assure you that the Commander (Jadhav) is under no threat of immediate execution and his mercy petitions are still pending," Faisal told the media at the weekly briefing.

He was responding to a question on the possible immediate execution of the Indian prisoner on death row after his meeting with his family.

Faisal said the mother and wife of Jadhav were being provided with a meeting with him in the light of "Islamic traditions and based on purely humanitarian grounds."

He said that the meeting between Jadhav and his family will take place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"Pakistan has issued visas to both the ladies. The meeting will be held in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," the spokesman said.

A diplomat from the Indian high commission in Islamabad would be allowed to accompany the visitors.

To a question Faisal said, "Pakistan is ready to permit media interaction with the wife and mother of Commander Jadhav. We await Indian decision in this regard."

Jadhav, 47, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April, following which India moved the ICJ in May. The ICJ halted his execution on India's appeal pending the final verdict by it.

Pakistan has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav on the ground that it was not applicable in cases related to spies.

It said that Jadhav is not an ordinary person as he had entered the country with the intent of spying and carrying out sabotage activities.

Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel from its restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran.

Read: Pak issues visa to mother, wife of Kulbhushan Jadhav; meeting on Dec 25

India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy. 

Replying to a question regarding China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the spokesperson said it is a plan to fully harness Pakistan's natural endowments by boosting Pakistan industrial capabilities and improving its infrastructure.

He said the projects under this Corridor are under progress and will be completed in three phases with short term projects by 2020, mid-term by 2025 and long term projects by 2030.

Faisal said India had suffered defeat on diplomatic front as its ‘propaganda based terrorist list’ had been taken off the Heart of Asia Conference declaration upon Pakistan’s strong objections.

Faisal also said that Pakistan had decided to release 291 Indian fishermen in two phases on humanitarian grounds.

He said the fishermen will be released in the first phase on December 29 and on January 8. He reiterated Pakistan's belief that humanitarian issues should be facilitated instead of being politicised.

Highlighting Pakistan's role in reconstruction activities in Afghanistan, the spokesperson said that Pakistan has established three tertiary care hospitals in three different cities of that country.

He said Pakistan was also imparting training to medical staff and 69 Afghan health professionals completed their training this year.

To a question, Faisal said Pakistan was fully committed to the freedom and protection of rights of all minorities living here and they were proud Pakistanis having representation in all walks of life.

To a question, regarding voting in UN on Jerusalem issue, he said freedom has no price and Pakistan's vote will be principled.