Pak Makes Jadhav Meet Futile Exercise

MEA says Pak officials didn’t permit a free conversation

- Geeta Mohan

Indian High Commission officials were provided consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav by Pakistan for the second time in the four years since the time he was illegally abducted from Iran and charged with “espionage”.

In what can only be termed as a sham exercise by Pakistan, Indian officials were not given “unimpeded” access to the Indian national despite the two sides working out modalities.

While the Pakistan Foreign Office claimed that “uninterrupted” access was provided to the two Indian diplomats, India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava, in a statement said, “On the basis of this assurance by the Pakistani Foreign Ministry, two Consular Officers of the High Commission proceeded to the meeting with Shri Jadhav. Regrettably however, neither the environment nor the arrangements of the meeting were in accordance with the assurances of Pakistan.”