Pakistan issues visa to Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother, family likely to meet him on 25 December

After repeatedly denying consular access, Pakistan finally issued visas to alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav’s wife and mother on Wednesday who are now likely to meet him on 25 December. The visa comes after 21 months of Jadhav’s arrest. Islamabad had last week directed its High Commission in New Delhi to issue the visas. Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal had said on 11 December that the visa applications of Jadhav’s family had been received and were being “processed”. [caption id=“attachment_3772173” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Kulbhushan Jadhav. News18[/caption] A diplomat from the Indian High Commission in Pakistan will also be permitted to accompany them throughout their stay. Islamabad had also agreed to provide maximum security to Jadhav’s family during their visit to Pakistan Jadhav, 46, was arrested by Pakistan from the restive Balochistan province in 2016 and was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism. India had several times tried to arrange a meeting of Jadhav with his family members. Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj had even written a “personal letter” to the advisor to the prime minister of Pakistan on national security and foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz, asking for approval of Jadhav’s mother visa application of so that she may travel to Pakistan. Altough Pakistan had claimed that Jadhav was tasked by RAW to plan, coordinate and organise espionage, terrorist and sabotage activities aimed at destabilising and waging war against Pakistan, India has maintained that he was kidnapped from Iran, where he was running a business after retirement from the Indian Navy. India had even approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in May seeking a provisional stay to the execution of Jadhav which was granted. The court then fixed 13 June, 13 September and 13 December as dates for India to file its documents and for Pakistan to file counter-documents. With inputs from agencies