Pakistan Army says India will not be given consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav

Hours after India on Thursday tore into Pakistan for presenting wife and mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav as "widows" during their highly restricted meeting, Islamabad reiterated its defiance of the diplomatic protocol and said, “Consular access will not be given.”

Pakistan Army’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that Islamad will not provide India consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav.

Pakistan Army’ spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor said, "India should be thankful for the meet. India always opposes whatever we do."

Also read: Pakistan sends shoes of Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife for forensic testing

He further said, “Kulbhushan Jadhav is serving Indian Naval officer and was allowed to meet his family even though he is a terrorist.”

Ghafoor also denied that there was pressure on Pakistan for arranging the meeting between Jadhav and his family members. "There was no pressure on Pakistan to arrange the meeting. If there would have been pressure, we would have given him consular access," he said.

Ghafoor further claimed that the western countries have hailed Pakistan for its humanitarian gesture. He also denied abduction of Kulbhushan Jadhav from Iran by a terror group, which handed him over to the ISI.

Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in an identical statement in both the houses of Parliament said there was "serious and gross violation of human rights of the family members of Jadhav", who is on death row in Pakistan for alleged spying.

Also read: Jadhav-family meet: Pak restrictions 'inhuman', says VP Naidu

She pointed out that Jadhav's mother Avanti and wife Chetna were forced to remove their mangalsutra, bindi and bangles and footwear, and even made to change their attire on the pretext of security.

"Both married women were presented as widows in front of a son and husband. There can be no greater insult than this," said Swaraj as other members chorused "shame, shame."

"There are not enough words to condemn the same," she said.

(With PTI inputs)