Pakistan grants visas to Kulbhushan Jadhav’s wife, mother

Pakistan on Wednesday granted visas to jailed Indian national and former Indian navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav’s mother and wife, the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The visas for Jadhav’s wife and mother to visit Islamabad were granted by the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. They are now likely to meet him on December 25 in Islamabad.

Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal confirmed the development on Twitter.

Faisal on Twitter wrote, “Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi issued the visas to the mother and wife of Commander Jadhav to visit Islamabad to meet him, today.”

Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi issued the visas to the mother and wife of Commander Jadhav to visit Islamabad to meet him, today.

— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 20, 2017

Faisal earlier had tweeted, “Visa applications of mother and wife of Commander Jadhav received for their visit on humanitarian grounds. Being processed."

Earlier on November 10, Pakistan had granted permission to Jadhav's wife to visit him "on humanitarian grounds".

New Delhi then had urged Islamabad to also allow Jadhav's mother to accompany his wife along with an Indian diplomat and had also requested for a sovereign guarantee to ensure their safety and security during the visit.

Pakistan after the request had given Jadhav's mother and wife permission to meet him on December 25, in the presence of an Indian high commission official. However, it has yet not responded to New Delhi's request to ensure safety and security of the visitors.

The visa for Jadhav’s mother and wife comes after 21 months of Jadhav's arrest.

Also read| Kulbhushan Jadhav: Sitharaman calls Pakistan’s move to allow former navy officer meet wife ‘good humanitarian gesture’

Pakistan claims Jadhav to be indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) officer and they arrested him on March 3, 2016 from Balochistan after he entered the country illegally from Iran.

A Pakistani military court in April 2017 found him guilty of "espionage and sabotage" and sentenced him to death. Jadhav’s execution was halted by the International Court of Justice on earlier this year.

Also read: Pak FM claims India made proposal to swap Kulbhushan Jadhav for Peshawar school attacker

Pakistan so far has rejected over 30 Indian requests for consular access to Jadhav.