India Has Responded On Kulbhushan Jadhav Offer: Pakistan

Charges of Jadhav’s involvement in spying have been rejected by India, with the government maintaining that he was a businessman based in Chabahar in Iran, and was kidnapped from that country

PAKISTAN’S FOREIGN Ministry said Saturday that it has received a response from India on its offer to arrange a meeting between Kulbhushan Jadhav, the former Indian Navy officer held on espionage charges, and his wife “on humanitarian grounds”. A Pakistan spokesperson posted on Twitter that the response “is being considered”.

“Indian Reply to Pakistan’s Humanitarian offer for Commander Jadhav received & is being considered,” said the tweet by Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Faisal. India has not officially confirmed whether it has responded to Pakistan’s offer. Sources told The Indian Express that a response has been sent in the form of a note verbale but did not disclose its contents.

Pakistan’s offer, on November 10, had taken India by surprise, since it had not sought a visa for Jadhav’s wife, who has stayed away from the public spotlight. On April 25, two weeks after Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court, India had sought visas for Jadhav’s parents, Sudhir and Avantika Jadhav.

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Pakistan’s offer is being viewed as an attempt to counter India’s argument at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague that Jadhav was not granted consular access in violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. On May 18, a 10-member ICJ bench had restrained Pakistan from executing Jadhav till it adjudicates on the case.

Charges of Jadhav’s involvement in spying have been rejected by India, with the government maintaining that he was a businessman based in Chabahar in Iran, and was kidnapped from that country. The Indian side had pursued various legal remedies available under the Pakistan Army Act 1952 in the case, and applied for visas for Jadhav’s parents through the External Affairs Ministry.

Jadhav’s family has also filed an appeal and submitted a petition to Pakistan, which were handed over by the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad to Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary on April 26. The government also sought consular access to Jadhav several times, but in vain.

On October 5, the Pakistan Army said it was close to reaching a decision on the mercy petition of Jadhav. India has warned Pakistan of consequences and damage to bilateral ties if the execution, which it described as “premeditated murder”, was carried out.

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