India to Get a Glimpse of Kulbhushan Jadhav’s Condition Through His Mother and Wife's Eyes

New Delhi: After rejecting 22 consular access requests by India, Pakistan is finally allowing an opening to assess jailed Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav’s condition. Jadhav’s mother and wife were granted visas on Wednesday to travel to Pakistan and meet Jadhav. This will be Jadhav’s first meeting with his family since he was arrested by Pakistan in March 2016.

India has sought a sovereign guarantee from Pakistan to ensure the safety and security of Jadhav’s family while they are in Pakistan. Sources told News 18 that there was apprehension that the Pakistani authorities could use the visit to question the family and hence the sovereign guarantee was necessary.

The Pakistan government has also agreed that an official from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad will be accompanying the family at all times during their visit, even while they meet Jadhav in jail.

The family is likely to fly to and from Pakistan for the meeting on December 25. According to Defence Expert Lt Gen (R) Raj Kadiyan, Pakistan is facilitating this meeting as it is under pressure due to the proceedings in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The surprise announcement to allow Jadhav’s wife to meet him on “humanitarian” grounds came just a couple of weeks ahead of the due date for Pakistan to submit a written memorial to the ICJ on December 13.

During the oral hearing earlier this year, India made a strong case for Jadhav stating categorically that his detention and military court’s verdict to hang him was a gross violation of human rights. India also added that the rejection of repeated consular access requests was a violation of the Vienna Convention.

Pakistan also suffered a setback in the ICJ when the court did not allow it to play a purported “confession” video of Jadhav. India had already rejected it saying it appeared to have been extracted under duress.

Pakistan claimed to have picked up Jadhav from Balochistan. They accused him of spying and carrying out subversive activities categorizing him as a terrorist. India strongly rejected the charges from day one saying he was an Indian national doing legitimate business in Chabahar port in Iran. In fact, India said it was deeply worried as to how he landed up in Balochistan indicating he was kidnapped.

It was after the rejection of 16 requests for consular access and a hasty and clandestine military country trial that India was compelled to go to the ICJ.