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Consular Access: Indian Charge d’Affairs meets Jadhav

ISLAMABAD: India has accepted the Pakistani offer regarding grant of consular access to convicted spy Commander Kulbushan Jadhav.Indian Spy 3ISLAMABAD: Indian Charge d’Affairs Gaurav Ahluwalia reaches the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here today in connection with the rendezvous with  spy Commander Kulbushan Jadhav. Gaurav held a meeting with Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal. 

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In this regard Indian Charge d’Affaires here Gaurav Ahluwalia met him today for an hour at a sub-jail in presence of a senior officer from Foreign Office.

So far no official statement has been issued about the meeting. 

It is pertinent to mention here that last month (August 2019) India had rejected the same offer made by Pakistan apropos consular access to Jadhav who had been sentenced to death by a military court.

Indian officials commenting on the development held: “We hope that the Pakistan will ensure right atmosphere so that the meeting is free, fair, meaningful and effective in keeping with the letter and spirit of the ICJ orders.” 

Yesterday (on Sunday 1st of September 2019) taking to the Twitter Foreign Office spokesman Dr. Mohammad Faisal had informed that: “Consular access for Indian spy Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav, a serving Indian naval officer and RAW operative, is being provided on Monday 2nd September 2019, in line with Vienna Convention on Consular relations, ICJ judgement and the laws of Pakistan.” The spokesman further pointed out: “Commander Jadhav remain’s in Pakistan’s custody, for espionage, terrorism and sabotage.”

Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, stated that Pakistan endeavored to maintain peace in the region and therefore Indian spy would be granted counselor access. Talking to Media in Multan on Sunday 1st of September, 2019 he maintained that Pakistan upheld a peaceful narrative and believed that war would be the last option between the two countries.

It may be recalled that on 17th of July 2019 ICJ had dismissed New Delhi’s plea for Jadhav’s acquittal and release maintaining that his conviction and sentence were not to be regarded as a violation of Article 36 of the Vienna Convention. However, ICJ had allowed India consular access to Jadhav and called on Pakistan to review and reconsider his conviction and sentence. 

49-year-old Indian spy Commander Kulbushan Jadhav was taken into custody on 3rd of March 2016 from Balochistan (province bordering with Iran – where Pakistan says India had been supporting the separatist militants). 

A relevant piece published earlier: 

ISLAMABAD/MULTAN:  49-year-old Indian Naval Officer Kulbhushan Jadhav – sentenced to death on charges of espionage and sabotage – will be provided consular access on Monday 2nd of September, 2019.

Indian Spy 1Indian Spy 2

Taking to the Twitter Foreign Office spokesman Dr. Mohammad Faisal has informed that: “Consular access for Indian spy Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav, a serving Indian naval officer and RAW operative, is being provided on Monday 2nd September 2019, in line with Vienna Convention on Consular relations, ICJ judgement and the laws of Pakistan.” 
The spokesman further pointed out: “Commander Jadhav remain’s in Pakistan’s custody, for espionage, terrorism and sabotage.”

Meanwhile, Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shah Mehmood Qureshi,  said that Pakistan endeavored to maintain peace in the region and therefore Indian spy would be granted counselor access. Talking to Media in Multan today he maintained that Pakistan upheld a peaceful narrative and believed that war would be the last option between the two countries.

Relevant pieces published earlier: 

ISLAMABAD: FO has informed about Pakistan’s formal offer to India made a formal offer to India apropos granting of consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav and awaits response from them.

Focusing on the dilemma of terrorism FO stated that PM was committed vis-à-vis the Afghan issue and matters related to the visit of Taliban as announced the Prime Minister are being finalized. Claiming that the country’s role in playing a pivotal role in taking forward the peace process had been widely acknowledged, FO maintained that Pakistan had been facilitating the  talks with Taliban to bring peace, prosperity and stability in the region: “Pakistan will keep on supporting peaceful, stable, united, democratic and prosperous Afghanistan,” FO added.

Commenting on the US President Donald Trump’s offer of mediation on Kashmir issue, FO held that Pakistan looks forward to efforts of the international community for resolution of the  dispute. FO maintained that US President’s offer of mediation on Kashmir dispute was a monumental success of Pakistan’s foreign policy.

FO stressed that Kashmir  was the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy, and the country would utilize all options under the UN resolutions if India proceeded to change status of occupied Kashmir in its constitution. FO pointed out that India recently had been committing frequent ceasefire violations along Line of Control, targeting civilians. FO had summoned the Indian High Commissioner on 28th and 30th of July 2019, and today as well and lodged a strong protest over the ceasefire violations. According to FO there are reports that ten of thousands of  additional Indian troops were being deployed in occupied Kashmir, which would  further deteriorate human rights situation in the held territory.

Commenting on the Kartarpur Corridor project, FO informed that seventy to eighty percent work had been completed on ground as well as on agreement. FO, while focusing on the US sanctions against Iranian FM Jawad Zarif,  stated that Pakistan always believed that dialogue and diplomacy should be given a chance.

ISLAMABAD: In pursuant to the ICJ verdict of 18th July 2019 Foreign Office here has announced that Pakistan would grant consular access to Commander Kulbushan Jadhav, Indian spy.

FO stated that as a responsible state, Pakistan would grant consular access to Commander Kulbushan Jadhav according to Pakistani laws, for which modalities were being worked out. It has also been told that: “Commander Kulbushan Jadhav has been informed of his rights under Article 36, paragraph 1(b) of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.”

It is pertinent to mention here that, rejecting remedies sought by India (annulment of the military court decision convicting Jadhav, restricting Pakistan from executing the sentence, securing Jadhav’s release and ordering his return to India) ICJ had asked Pakistan in its verdict to ensure effective review and reconsideration of his conviction and sentences.

https://newspakistan.tv/ispr-hails-the-icj-decision-on-jadhavs-case/
ISLAMABAD: DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor termed the ICJ decision on self-confessed Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav’s case as ‘the success achieved’.

He appreciated the effort made by the FO and legal team: “For the verdict to be upheld by an international court where there is no concept of capital punishment is a big victory for Pakistan…And for them to say that the review and reconsideration can be done by means of our own choosing is great validation for our judicial system…

“It’s another Feb 27 for India; they have been surprised again. They thought that the kind of political capital they have, they can manipulate justice too but that did not happen…(India’s) false narratives continue…after this verdict they are practically certified to have undertaken state-sponsored terrorism and the world has seen what their role in Pakistan has been.”

ISLAMABAD: PM Imran Khan took to the Twitter to ‘appreciate’ ICJ’s decision on Kulbhushan Jadhav’s case.

“Appreciate ICJ’s decision not to acquit, release and return Commander Kulbushan Jadhav to India. He is guilty of crimes against the people of Pakistan. Pakistan shall proceed further as per law.” he maintained.

Imran Khan
Modi

 

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M M Alam

M. M. Alam is a Pakistan-based working journalist since 1981. Karachi University faculty gold medalist Alam began his career four decades ago by writing for Dawn, Pakistan’s highest circulating English daily. He has worked for region’s leading publications, global aviation periodicals including Rotors (of USA) and vetted New York Times as permanent employee of daily Express Tribune. Alam regularly covers international aviation and defense-related events including Salon Du Bourget (France), Farnborough (United Kingdom), Dubai (UAE). Alam has reported thousands of events and interviewed hundreds of people in Pakistan, UAE, EU, UK and USA. Being Francophone Alam also coordinates with a number of French publications.