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Pak to ensure proper treatment of Jadhav's wife, mother: India

NEW Delhi/Islamabad: Responding to Pakistan's offer of arranging a meeting between Indian death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav and his wife, India has told that Jadhav's wife and mother would like to meet him, along with an Indian envoy.

Apart from this, India has also sought a sovereign guarantee from Pakistan that the Jadhav's family members would not be harassed or questioned when they visit him. Pakistan is yet to respond to India's message. Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer, was arrested in Pakistan on espionage charges.
The Pakistan government, earlier this month, had agreed to let Jadhav meet his wife on "humanitarian grounds". "The Government of Pakistan has decided to arrange a meeting of Commander Kulbhushan Jhadav with his wife, in Pakistan, purely on humanitarian grounds," Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said in a statement, adding the meeting will take place on Pakistani soil.
Hoping that Pakistan would facilitate visit by the wife and mother of Jadhav, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the government determined to "pursue all measures" with "full vigour" so as to secure the final release of an innocent Indian. "Such a meeting offer does not absolve Pakistan of the violations of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and Human Rights and not following the due process in treating Jadhav who remains incarcerated in Pakistan and faces death sentence through a farcical process and on concocted charges," Kumar said during a media briefing.
Read | Latest Pakistan twist in Kulbhushan Jadhav case, says his wife can meet him While the offer had taken the Indian side by surprise, sources told The Indian Express that the response was sent last week in the form of a note verbale. Pakistan's foreign ministry on Saturday had confirmed receiving the response and said that it ïs being considered."
Few media reports have linked Pakistan's offer as an attempt to counter India's argument at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that Jadhav was denied any consular access.
Other reports also hinted that the issue was discussed in a meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and the newly appointed Pakistani High Commissioner to New Delhi, Sohail Mahmood. Pakistan, however, has insisted that the arrangement was being made purely on humanitarian grounds.
Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in April on charges of espionage and terrorism. ICJ, in May, had stayed his execution on India's appeal. Pakistan has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav on the ground that it was not applicable in cases related to spies.
While Pakistan claims that Jadhav was arrested by security forces from Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran, the Indian side maintains he was kidnapped from Iran where he developed business after retiring from the Navy.
The ICJ has asked Pakistan to submit its response or memorial by December 13, before the court could start further proceedings in the case.

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