India shares itinerary of Jhadav’s family with Pakistan: FO

By
Mona Khan
|

ISLAMABAD: Indian authorities on Saturday shared the itinerary of convicted Indian spy Kulbhusahn Jhadav's family, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Saturday evening. 

"India informs that the mother and wife of Commander Jadhav will arrive by commercial flight on 25 Dec and leave the same day. Indian DHC in Islamabad will be the accompanying diplomat," FO spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal tweeted. 

Pakistani authorities had earlier issued an ultimatum to India, stating that it would be difficult to arrange a meeting between Jhadav and his family (wife and mother) if the itinerary of the latter was not shared with Pakistan by midnight, sources told this correspondent. 

Only one employee of the Indian High Commission in Pakistan will be present during the meeting and the Foreign Office will issue pictures and a video of the same, according to FO sources.

India had earlier stated that Jadhav's father and mother had expressed the desire to meet their son, however, the prisoner had requested authorities to allow his wife to visit him. 

The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday had said that the country is ready to permit media interaction with Jadhav's wife and mother.

FO Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said that the ministry is waiting for India's decision in this regard. He had further said that the meeting would be held in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and would take place on December 25.

Answering a question on the possible immediate execution of the convicted spy and this being his last meeting with his family, the spokesperson had assured that Jadhav is under no threat of immediate execution and his mercy petitions are still pending.

"The mother and wife of Commander Jhadev are being provided with a meeting with him in the light of Islamic traditions and based on purely humanitarian grounds," said the FO.

The visa applications of Jadhav’s mother and wife had been received by the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi on December 16 for their visit visa on humanitarian grounds.

Who is Kulbhushan Jadhav?

The spy, who was an on-duty officer for the Indian Navy, confessed to his crimes in a recorded video statement televised by the army last year following his arrest.

After his trial in a military court, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa confirmed the death sentence awarded by the Field General Court Martial under the Pakistan Army Act.

On April 2016, Pakistan sentenced the RAW agent to death for carrying out espionage and sabotage activities in Balochistan and Karachi.

However, India approached the International Court of Justice over the matter earlier this year which then stayed Jadhav's death sentence until proceedings are completed in the world court.