Nirmala Sitharaman hails Pakistan move to allow Kulbhushan Jadhav to meet wife as 'good humanitarian gesture'

Ahmedabad: Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday termed as a “good humanitarian gesture” Pakistan’s decision to allow Kulbhushan Jadhav, who is on death row there, to meet his wife. Pakistan on Friday said it will allow Jadhav to meet his wife in jail, months after New Delhi had requested Islamabad to grant a visa to his mother on humanitarian grounds. [caption id=“attachment_4204915” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Reuters[/caption] “It is a good humanitarian gesture,” she said at a press conference in Ahmedabad when asked about Islamabad’s decision. “India is making all efforts to get Kulbhushan Jadhav released from Pakistani prison. India has also approached the International Court of Justice (on the issue),” she said. Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in April on charges of espionage and terrorism. The International Court of Justice in May halted his execution on India’s appeal. Sitharaman said she learnt about Pakistan’s decision from the media. “I don’t know what is the position on allowing his wife to visit him, but it is a good gesture. It will boost Jadhav’s morale in jail.” The Union minister is in Gujarat to campaign for the BJP for the next month’s Assembly polls.