Guarantee safety of Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife, mother if they visit Pak: India

NEW DELHI: India on Thursday sought a sovereign guarantee from Pakistan to ensure the safety and security of imprisoned Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother and wife during their stay in the country, reported ANI.

"We have sought sovereign guarantee from government of Pakistan to ensure the safety and security of Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother. Also, during their stay in Pakistan, they should not be questioned or harassed," ANI quoted ministry of external affairs spokesperson

Raveesh Kumar

as saying.

Kumar said that while India has responded "positively" to the neighbouring country's offer to arrange a meeting between Jadhav and his wife, there was a "long-standing request from Jadhav's mother to visit Pakistan and meet her son."

"In our response, we have conveyed that Jadhav's wife would like to travel with her mother-in-law for the meeting," he added.

The MEA has also asked the Pakistani government to allow a diplomat from India's High Commission in Pakistan to accompany the duo "at all times, including during the meeting."

Jadhav's mother had earlier applied for a Pakistani visa to visit her son and the matter had been taken up by external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj in July.

Earlier this month, Pakistan offered to arrange a meeting between Jadhav and his wife on "humanitarian grounds."

Jadhav, a retired Indian Navy officer, was arrested by Pakistan counter-terrorism officials in March 2016 on the suspicion that he was involved in subversive activities in Balochistan and Karachi. In April 2017, a Pakistan military court found him guilty of "espionage and sabotage" and sentenced him to death.

India denied the allegations and demanded consular access to him, but was repeatedly turned down.

It then appealed to the International Court of Justice, to demand the immediate suspension of Jadhav's death sentence. In a major win for India, the court stayed the sentence until further notice.

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(With inputs from agencies)