In response to Pakistan's offer to allow retired Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife to meet him, India has conveyed that his wife would like to travel along with her mother-in-law for the meeting. India has also sought sovereign guarantee from Pakistan to ensure their safety, security and well-being and also that they “shall not be questioned, harassed or interrogated during their visit and stay in Pakistan,'' the ministry of external affairs said on Thursday.
The ministry spokesperson added that India had also asked that a diplomat from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad should be allowed to accompany them “at all times, including during the meeting.'' Pakistan had, earlier this month, offered to allow Jadhav's wife a meeting with him. There have been many pending requests with Pakistan for Jadhav to meet his mother. India has made around 15 requests for consular access to Jadhav, which have not been granted.
Officials say that the request for the diplomat to accompany the women is not the same as consular access to Jadhav, because in this request he will only accompany, and not be having his own talk with the prisoner.
India has also made it clear that this offer of Pakistan does not absolve it from the violations it had committed of flouting the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and Human Rights and not following the due process in treating Jadhav, “who remains incarcerated in Pakistan and faces death sentence through a farcical process and on concocted charges.''
The MEA said India would pursue “all measures with full vigour for the final release of an innocent Indian.''
It may be recalled that India had filed a case against Pakistan in the International Court of Justice in May seeking a stay on Jadhav's execution. India had been asked to file its memorial or statements by September 13, while Pakistan to file its counter memorial by December 13. India has accused Pakistan of having flouted the Vienna Convention regarding Jadhav's arrest and summary trial. Pakistan has maintained that Jadhav was planning terror attacks, and that he was a spy.
Pakistan's softening of stance with India's offer to arrange a meeting with his wife is a run up to December 13, when Pakistan files its counter memorial. Clearly, a continual denial of any access to family members (a humanitarian move) would look bad in Pakistan's report card.
The final decision in the case is not likely to be taken this year at least. India is worried that there is pressure on Pakistan by its army to execute Jadhav.
