Islamabad (December 25, 2017): Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Dr. Mohammad Faisal on Monday said that convicted Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav is the face of Indian terrorism in Pakistan.
Faisal, during a press conference, reiterated that Jadhav is a terrorist, spy and a saboteur who was caught “red-handed” and was conducting terror attacks in Balochistan and Karachi.
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He said that the meeting of convicted India spy Kulbhushan Jadhav with his family is a positive gesture from Pakistan’s side and the country has nothing to hide.
Faisal said the request from Jadhav’s family was granted purely on humanitarian grounds. It was considered and granted. “This was a positive gesture from Pakistan’s side and a diplomat was present throughout the meeting,” he added.
The spokesperson noted that the Indian government had not provided an explanation as to how an Indian passport was used with a fake name.
“India was provided with a copy of Jadhav’s passport. Passport bears a Muslim name known as Hussain Mubarak Patel,” he explained.
Faisal maintained that Indian media was allowed to be part of this meeting however, there was no response. “This meeting was not done to win at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), rather it was just to show that Pakistan thoroughly believes in basic human rights.”
Pakistan offered that the wife may visit and later a request was made from India to make Jadhav the mother meet as well.
“Commander Jadhav’s wife wanted to speak to the media. We had formally proposed this to India,” he said.
“To reiterate let me be very clear that Pakistan permitted request on humanitarian grounds. Islam advocates peace,” he added.
The spokesperson said the family was not allowed to meet Jadhav physically as security is paramount. “There was a partition between the two parties in the meeting due to security reasons.”
On Jadhav’s medical condition, the FO spokesperson said that detailed reports vividly show that he is in perfect health.
Responding to a question, Faisal said that this will not be the last time that the family is meeting Jadhav, they will be given permission later on too.
“The wife and mother thanked Pakistan, the Foreign Office, me and my team. They were satisfied with the meeting,” he added.
He said that this is not providing consular access but only on a categorical basis. “It is always difficult to conduct negotiations on a state level.”
Earlier, the mother and wife of arrested Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav met him at the office of Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad on Monday amid strict security.
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The meeting started at 2:18pm and lasted almost 40 minutes, according to Foreign Office spokesperson.
Indian diplomats accompanied Jadhav’s family during the meeting. Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh was present during the meeting, which was conducted in a specially prepared room via an intercom through a glass partition.
Meeting between Commander Kulbushan Jhadev & his family in progress pic.twitter.com/THG925V1fO
— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017
Foreign Office Director India desk Dr Fariha was also present during the meeting.
Jadhav’s mother and wife underwent a security check before being taken to the room for their meeting, Foreign Office spokesperson said.
According to itinerary details, Jadhav’s mother and wife flew to Islamabad via Dubai earlier today. The family arrived at the Indian High Commission from where they were taken to the Foreign Office. They will leave the country the same day after meeting Jadhav.
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After meeting him at the Foreign Office, Jadhav’s family will head back to the Indian High Commission before returning to India via Oman, sources said.
In a tweet, Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal shared a photo of the mother and wife of Jadhav sitting in the Foreign Office.
“The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan. We honour our commitments,” he tweeted.
The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pakistan . We honour our commitments pic.twitter.com/hILiMyp7Zl
— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017
In a tweet earlier today, the FO spokesperson said that Pakistan permitted the meeting as a humanitarian gesture, on the birthday of the Father of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Pakistan permits the meeting of wife and mother of Commander Jadhav with him, as a humanitarian gesture, on the birthday of the Father of the nation, Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017
The roads leading from and to the Foreign Office building were closed to traffic for the meeting. Walkthrough gates have also been installed outside the Foreign Office building amid strict security measures.
Commander Jadhav — an on-duty Indian navy officer working for Indian covert agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) — was arrested on March 3, 2016, from Balochistan, after he entered into Pakistan from Iran. He has been convicted of espionage and sabotage activities.
Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement Monday that arrested Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav has not been given consular access.
Clarifying earlier reports in the media, the Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal said the presence of Indian diplomat during the scheduled meeting between Jadhav and his family does not mean Jadhav has been given Indian consular access.
Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif had said that India had been given consular access to the convicted spy, describing it as a “concession.”
He had added that Pakistan had allowed Jadhav’s meeting with his mother and wife purely on “humanitarian grounds.”
Noting that Jadhav’s case is sub judice in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the minister had said they were also advised to allow the meeting. “We didn’t want any weakness in our case in the ICJ over the meeting.”
On April 10, 2017, Pakistan sentenced the RAW agent to death for carrying out espionage and sabotage activities in Balochistan and Karachi.
In a reaction to the move, Pakistan’s relations with neighbouring India tensed, and New Delhi approached the ICJ to hear the case.
On May 18, the ICJ ordered Pakistan to halt the execution of Jadhav until a final decision was made in the proceedings.
India then moved the ICJ to give it six months to file pleadings in the case, which the United Nations’ judicial organ had turned down in June this year. Later, New Delhi submitted its memorial (arguments) to the ICJ on September 13.
On December 13, Pakistan submitted its reply to the ICJ, dismissing India’s stance in the case of the convicted spy.
In its counter-memorial, Pakistan stated that Jadhav is not an ordinary person as he had entered the country with the intent of spying and carrying out sabotage activities.
The reply also stated that Jadhav, who was a serving officer of the Indian Navy, does not fall under the purview of the Vienna Convention.
Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel, was arrested on March 3, 2016 in a ‘counter-intelligence operation’ from Mashkel area of Balochistan for his involvement in espionage and sabotage activities in Pakistan.
The incarcerated RAW agent, in his video statement, confessed to involvement in sabotage and espionage inside Pakistan, which has also been the crux of Islamabad’s case in the ICJ.
On April 10, a Field General Court Martial — under the Pakistan Army Act, 1952, and Official Secrets Act, 1923 — awarded death sentence to Jadhav for espionage and sabotage.
Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa ratified the sentencing by the army tribunal.
Jadhav has since been on the death row.
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