Pak finally issues visa to Kulbhushan Jadhav’s wife and mother

Islamabad: Pakistan on Wednesday granted visas to alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav’s mother and wife to visit the death-row inmate on December 25. Foreign office spokesperson Dr Mohammed Faisal tweeted: “Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi issued the visas to the mother and wife of Commander Jadhav to visit Islamabad to meet him, today,” he said.

Last week, Pakistan had rejected India’s plea for consular access to Jadhav at the ICJ saying the facility could not be granted to a spy who had been convicted of terrorism. In its counter-memorial submitted to the ICJ, Pakistan said the consular access under the Vienna Convention was not for terrorists but legal visitors. Pakistan contended that Jadhav should not be considered an ordinary prisoner as he had confessed to his role in terrorism.

India challenged Jadhav’s conviction in the ICJ but Pakistan disputed the jurisdiction after the court observed that turning down the request for consular access was a denial of right. In May, the UN’s top court ordered Pakistan to stay the Jadhav’s execution.

Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Home Minister Rajnath Singh contended that if Pakistan went ahead with the execution, it will amount to a “premeditated murder.”

Pakistan has appointed Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, a former chief justice of Pakistan, to be its judge ad-hoc in the Jadhav case in the ICJ. The procedures of the ICJ allow a party to nominate a judge ad-hoc in circumstances where there is no judge of the court with that party’s nationality.

After the Indian request was considered for a few weeks, Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammed Faisal had announced this month that Pakistan would allow the mother and wife of Kulbushan Jadhav to meet him. He said Pakistan had informed India it was ready to allow the visit of the mother of Jadhav, along with his wife on December 25.

“A diplomat from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad will be allowed to accompany the visitors. Requisite security would be provided to the visitors,” he said. Pakistan had earlier only allowed Jadhav’s wife to meet him but India sought permission for his mother too.

Jadhav was arrested last year in the Balochistan province for spying and stoking terrorism and sectarianism in the country. Islamabad also handed over dossiers to the UN regarding Jadhav’s confessional statement.