Indian Deputy High Commissioner meets Kulbhushan Jadhav in Pakistan

Kulbhushan Jadhav

The meeting between India's Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan, Gaurav Ahluwalia and Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav has begun in Islamabad after Pakistan granted consular access to Jadhav. Earlier in the day, Ahluwalia met Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal regarding the consular access to Jadhav, who was sentenced to death by the Pakistan military court on the basis of extracted confession of "espionage and terrorism" after a closed trial in April 2017.

New Delhi hopes that Islamabad will ensure the right atmosphere for a free and fair meeting in keeping with the letter and spirit of the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) orders, Indian government sources said before the meeting between Ahluwalia and Faisal.

"India has been seeking consular access to Kulbushan Jadhav for the last three years. The matter of denial of consular access was taken to ICJ by India. The court gave a unanimous decision in favour of India. Today, after victory in the ICJ, India will be proceeding for consular access to Jadhav," they said.

Pakistan on Sunday announced it will grant consular access to the retired Indian Navy officer, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistan military court on the basis of extracted confession of "espionage and terrorism" after a closed trial in April 2017.

The access is being provided in line with the verdict of the ICJ delivered on July 17.

On August 30, India reiterated that it sought "immediate, effective and unhindered" consular access to Jadhav and was in touch with Pakistan through diplomatic channels.

"We are in touch with the Pakistani side through diplomatic channels. You are aware that based on the judgment of the International Court of Justice we have asked for immediate, effective and unhindered access. Let us see the kind of response we receive from the Pakistani side," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had said in a weekly media briefing.

In a major diplomatic victory for India, the ICJ, in July, had asked Pakistan to comply with the Vienna Conventions and provide consular access to Jadhav and to ensure "effective review and reconsideration of his conviction and sentences".

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