ISLAMABAD, Sep 02 (INP): Pakistan on Monday granted consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav as Indian Deputy High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia reached the Foreign Office (FO) to meet the spy in the presence of Pakistan’s diplomatic staff.

The Indian diplomat shortly met the former Indian Navy officer who was arrested in March 2016 from the province of Balochistan. Jadhav was accused of espionage activities and sentenced to death by a military court soon after.

[timed-content-server show="09/03/2019 01:00 Asia/Karachi"]Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal had on Sunday announced that Pakistan will provide consular access to Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav, a serving Indian naval officer and RAW operative who confessed his involvement in terrorism carried out in Pakistan. Dr Muhammad Faisal had stated that the access is being provided in line with Vienna Convention on Consular relations, International Court of Justice verdict and the laws of Pakistan. It is pertinent to mention that Commander Jadhav is in Pakistan’s custody, for espionage, terrorism and sabotage. Let it be known that Pakistan had offered consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav last month but India had missed out the chance by unfairly demanding an unimpeded access to its spy. The request was rejected by Pakistan under the laws. On July 17, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) rejected remedies sought by India, including annulment of military court decision convicting Kulbhushan Jadhav, his release and safe passage to India. Announcing the verdict, Judge Abdulqavi Ahmed Yousaf told Pakistan to review the death sentence for the alleged Indian spy. INP/LK[/timed-content-server]