Pakistan allows Kulbhushan’s wife, mother to meet him

Mangalore Today News Network

Pakistan, Dec 09, 2017 : The wife and mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav will travel to Pakistan to meet him on December 25 - eight months after he was put on death row in the neighbouring country.

 

Islamabad accepted New Delhi’s demand to allow Jadhav’s mother Avantika Jadhav to travel with his wife Chetna to Pakistan to meet the former Indian Navy officer, who had been incarcerated there since March 2016. Pakistan had last month conveyed to India that it was ready to arrange a meeting between Jadhav and his wife. New Delhi, however, insisted that Islamabad also allow his mother to travel with her daughter-in-law.

"Government of Pakistan has conveyed that they will give visa to the mother and wife of Kulbhushan Jadhav," External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, posted on Twitter on Friday.

Swaraj later spoke to Avantika Jadhav over phone and informed her about Pakistan government’s decision.

India had asked for "sovereign guarantee" from Pakistan that it would ensure safety and security of Jadhav’s wife and mother.

Besides, New Delhi demanded that a diplomat of the High Commission of India in Islamabad accompany the two women during their visit.

"Pakistan has agreed to facilitate the visit of mother and wife of Kulbhushan Jadhav," tweetedSushma.

Asked if Islamabad’s decision to allow a diplomat of India to accompany the two women during their visit should be seen as Islamabad granting High Commission of India consular access to Jhadav, a spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said India would take a call after assessing the nature and extent of the access its official gets.

"We all are very happy with the news that Pakistan will give visas to Kulbhushan’s mother and wife," Tulshidas Pawar, a childhood friend of Jadhav said from Mumbai.



courtesy:DHNS