India evaluating Pak's proposal of facilitating consular access to Jadhav

Islamabad: India is evaluating Pakistan's proposal of facilitating consular access to Indian death row convict Kulbhushan Jadhav in the light of the recent verdict by the International Court of Justice, the External Affairs Ministry Thursday said.

Pakistan has sent a proposal to India for facilitating consular access to Jadhav.

"We will reply to Pakistan through diplomatic channels," the ministry's spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said. Last month, the ICJ, in its ruling in the case, directed Pakistan to provide full consular access to Jadhav.

Jadhav, 49, was arrested in March 2016 by Pakistani authorities and sentenced to death in April 2017 on “espionage and terrorism” charges.

On July 17, the world court had ruled that Pakistan must review the death sentence of Kulbhushan Jadhav and grant India consular access to Jadhav.

After the ICJ’s verdict, Pakistan had assured that it would comply with it. A day after the ruling, Islamabad said Jadhav had been informed of his rights under Article 36, Paragraph 1(b) of the Vienna Convention.

India had last made a request for consular access to Jadhav on April 2017, which was the 16th application made to Pakistan.