Islamabad: Pakistani television channels and newspapers ciritcised India for allegedly killing three soldiers in the firing along the Line of Control after Islamabad allowed a meeting between convicted Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav and his family.
The media headlines were about Jadhav but not without the mention of the ‘unprovoked Indian firing’ that was dubbed as ‘Indian response.’
Before the ‘Indian firing’ the television channels had flashed the Jadhav story all around as the newspapers updated their websites with the moment-to-moment developments.
“Indian spy on death-row allowed to meet the family” read the headline in the largely circulated Dawn newspaper. This was the only newspaper that did not mention the LoC firing. The News wrote: “India returns Jadhav gesture by martyring 3 soldiers on LoC.’ Other English and Urdu newspapers were also critical of India for ‘killing’ Pakistani soldiers in response to Pakistan’s ‘humanitarian gesture.”
Many Pakistanis also felt outraged at authorities’ organising the “family reunion” for a man whom the officials dubbed as India’s “face of terror.” They referred to “India’s firing” that “killed” Pakistani soldiers.
On Monday, Jadhav and his family members were not allowed any physical contact due to security concerns. They sat across a glass barrier and spoke initially for 35 minutes. The meeting time was later extended to 40 minutes upon Jadhav’s request. Kulbushan Jadhav’s mother and wife were extended VVIP protocol in Pakistan which invited criticism.
