Kulbhushan Jadhav case: India accepts offer of consular access to ex-navy officer, hopes Pakistan will ensure 'free, meaningful' meeting

India on Monday accepted Pakistan’s offer of consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been imprisoned by Islamabad on charges of espionage and terrorism. The development in the case of consular access to Jadhav comes after several unsuccessful attempts to come to a consensus regarding the modalities of the consular access, as directed by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Reportedly, India’s deputy high commissioner to Pakistan, or the Indian charge d’affaires Gaurav Ahluwalia will meet with Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer detained in Pakistan since 2016 and is on the death row, on Monday itself. “India hopes Pakistan will ensure the right atmosphere so that the meeting is free, fair and meaningful,” official sources were quoted as saying by agencies.

Pakistan offered consular access to Jadhav on Sunday, “in line with the Vienna Convention on Consular relations, ICJ judgment and the laws of Pakistan”. In a landmark verdict in July, the ICJ directed Pakistan to grant India with consular access to Jadhav and said that the Prime Minister Imran Khan-led country had violated the Vienna Conventions by refusing consular access to Jadhav. The court also ordered Pakistan to undertake an “effective review and reconsideration” of Jadhav’s conviction as a “spy”.

Pakistan’s offer on Sunday came nearly six weeks after a meeting between Indian officials and Jadhav did not materialise amid differences between New Delhi and Islamabad on the terms of the consular access. “Consular access for Indian spy Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav, a serving Indian naval officer and RAW operative, is being provided on Monday 2 September 2019, in line with Vienna Convention on Consular relations, ICJ judgement and the laws of Pakistan,” Pakistan foreign office spokesman Mohammad Faisal tweeted.

“Commander Jadhav remains in Pakistan’s custody, for espionage, terrorism and sabotage,” he added. Earlier, India had asked for “immediate, effective and unhindered” access to Jadhav.

One of the conditions put by Pakistan reportedly was the presence of a Pakistani official when Jadhav is allowed to meet Indian officials as part of the consular access. India did not agree to the condition, making clear its position that the consular access must be “unimpeded” and should be in the light of the judgment by the ICJ.

Jadhav, 49, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of “espionage and terrorism” in April 2017, following which India had moved the International Court of Justice (ICJ), seeking a stay on his death sentence and further remedies.