F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: The meeting of Indian spy and terrorist Kulbhushan Jadhav with wife Chetankul and mother Avanti has on Monday concluded at the Pakistan Foreign Office.
A couple of FO officials along with Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh were also present during the meeting which lasted around 40 minutes. Jadhav thanked the Foreign Office for arranging the meeting. Chetankul and Avanti are expected to fly back to India later this evening.
Earlier, the visitors arrived at Benazir Bhutto International Airport via Emirates Airlines flight EK-612. All paths leading towards diplomatic enclave were closed and red zone area was sealed temporarily with barriers. 500 police officials were appointed for security. Jadhav’s wife and mother were first taken to High Commission of India from the airport, and then to Pakistan Foreign Office.
Foreign Office spokesperson in a statement had said that Pakistan has permitted the meeting of wife and mother of Commander Jadhav with him as a humanitarian gesture on the birthday of the Father of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
The spokesperson was addressing a news briefing after the meeting between Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav and his mother and wife in Islamabad on Monday afternoon.
The spokesperson said that upon completion of investigation, Pakistan offered India that the wife of commander Jadhav may visit him and we received a request from India that the mother of the commander may also be permitted to meet him and an India diplomat may also accompany the ladies. He said the request was considered and the permission was granted.
Dr Muhammad Faisal said that the diplomat was present during the meeting and he could see Commander Jadhav. He said the diplomat was not allowed to speak or to listen to the conversation between Commander Jadhav and the ladies.
He said Pakistan wanted the mother and wife of Commander Jadhav to speak to the media, but the Indian side requested that they wanted to avoid the media interaction. He said that this was done in the spirit that Pakistan has nothing to hide.
It is worth mentioning here that Jadhav was arrested in March 2016 from Balochistan. The in-service Indian navy officer was tried by a military court and sentenced to death after he confessed to be working against China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), creating unrest in Balochistan and parts of Pakistan on orders of the Indian intelligence agency.
Pakistan had cautioned Indian government on Saturday over convicted spy’s meeting with his family as deadline for a response neared and Indian government was yet to approach Pakistan with a formal nod.
Indian government was warned on Saturday to reply on the issue by midnight otherwise the offer was to be withdrawn. Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Faisal had stated on the same night that the meeting was confirmed on December 25.
In the statement, FO spokesperson told that India confirmed the plans of arrival of Jadhav’s mother and wife. They will arrive on Monday and leave on the same day along with Indian Deputy High Commissioner (DHC), he had informed.
