Islamabad, September 12: Pakistan on Thursday blocked the consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav, saying that there would be no second access to the Indian national, who has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court. The statement was released by Mohammad Faisal, spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pakistan.
“There would be no second consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav,” Mohammad Faisal said.
Pakistan had on September 2 granted the first consular access to the Indian death-row convict, Kulbhushan Jadhav in line with the “Vienna Convention and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) verdict” after much negotiation between India and Pakistan over terms and conditions for consular access.
The Indian diplomat, Gaurav Ahluwalia met Kulbhushan Jadhav at a sub-jail for an hour. Despite India’s objections, the Pakistani officials, too, were present in the room where the meeting between Kulbhushan Jadhav and the Indian envoy took place. Not only were they present, but the entire proceeding was also recorded.
After the meeting between Kulbhushan Jadhav and the Indian envoy, Islamabad issued a statement and said that the meeting was recorded to “ensure transparency”.
In order to ensure transparency and in line with standard operating procedures, and as conveyed to the Indian side in advance, the access was recorded”, Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesman Mohammad Faisal said.
India also issued a statement and said that Kulbhushan Jadhav appeared to be under “extreme pressure” to parrot a false Pakistani narrative in his case.
Kulbhushan Jadhav was allegedly “arrested” from Balochistan by Pakistani security forces on March 3, 2016. Pakistan has claimed that Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested after he entered the country from Iran. India has, however, rejected Pakistan’s claims and has always maintained that Kulbhushan Jadhav was kidnapped when he was in Iran on a business trip.
