ALI HUSSAIN
ISLAMABAD: The convicted Indian spy, Kulbhushan Jadhav Monday met with his mother and wife following Pakistan allowed the meeting to happen on humanitarian grounds.
The meeting which held under strict security arrangements here at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was earlier agreed to be lasted for 30 minutes, however, it was extended for 40 minutes as additional 10 minutes were granted on the request of Jadhav as well as his family members, said Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, the spokesperson rejected the India media reports that the meeting was counselor’s access to the convicted spy, saying that Pakistan allowed the meeting of Jadhav with his family “purely on humanitarian grounds.”
“The meeting was not counselor access which is still pending and the decision on that [counselor access] will be taken accordingly as per the law,” he clarified. “Jadhav’s wife and mother were both our guests…they came and left in an honorable manner,” he added.
“They [Jadhav and his family] spoke openly during the meeting…at the end his family and Jadhav thanked the government and people of Pakistan as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its team for making the meeting happen,” he added.
The meeting was arranged amid tight security arrangements, as both the mother and wife of Jadhav were asked to change their clothes for which they were provided new clothes by female security officers before entering the booth especially prepared for the extraordinary meeting.
The booth was specially designed as it was soundproof as well as bombproof and the meeting took place through microphone while they only saw one another through the partitioned bombproof glass.
To a question about not allowing the one-on-one meeting between Jadhav and his family, he said that extraordinary security arrangements such as providing the bombproof glass were done on the Indian side’s insistence.
Though the mother and wife could not hug or shake hands with Jadhav, they did hand over a gift [an Indian shawl] which they brought for him from India which the Foreign Office spokesperson, said will be given to the convicted spy.
He said that Pakistan had offered to India that the wife of Commander Jadhav may visit meet him, adding that India requested that his mother may also be permitted to meet him and a diplomat of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad to accompany the ladies.
The request was considered and it was granted, he said, adding that the diplomat, deputy high commissioner JP Singh, was present during the meeting and he could see Commander Jadhav. “He [Singh] was not allowed to speak or listen to the conversation of Commander Jadhav with this wife and mother,” he said, adding that a Pakistani diplomat Fareha Bugti was also present during the meeting.
To a question, he said that it was not Jadhav’s last meeting with his family, adding that the meeting had nothing to do with any law or the case pending at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Earlier, Jadhav’s mother Avanti and wife Chetankul Jadhav arrived here via a commercial flight who were brought at the Indian High Commission apparently for a briefing prior to the meeting and they left for India the same day.
Avanti and Chetankul avoided media queries before and after the meeting, as media representatives kept on questioning but they only passed traditional greeting gesturers (Pranam/Namaste).
As the meeting concluded and the guests were waiting for a special vehicle to drive them to the Indian High Commission, Jadhav’s mother was also witnessed apparently to have exchanged thanking gestures and a brief chat with Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Faisal. However, the Indian deputy high commissioner who accompanied them to the meeting was seen objecting to the media queries.
“Let us be very clear that Commander Jadhav is the face of Indian terrorism, especially in Pakistan,” Dr Faisal asserted, adding, “A terrorist and saboteur is a serving Indian naval officer sentenced to death for his involvement in espionage, terrorism and subversive activities against Pakistan.”
He said that Jadhav conducted these activities especially in Balochistan and Sindh provinces and confessed about his condemnable actions before a judicial magistrate and court. He said that Jadhav also stated that he was tasked by the Research Analysis Wing (RAW), the Indian intelligence agency, to plan, coordinate and organize espionage, terrorism and sabotage aiming to destabilize Pakistan and wage war against the country.
“He [Jadhav] made every effort to impede the efforts of the law enforcement agencies and was eventually caught red-handed,”, he said, adding during his trial at the Field General Court Martial, he was provided a defence counsel as per the law of the land.
In his mercy petition to the Chief of Army Staff on compassionate grounds in June 2017, Faisal said that Jadhav again admitted his involvement in espionage, terrorist and subversive activities against Pakistan and expressed remorse at the resultant loss of precious innocent lives and damage to property.
Recalling his involvement in terror incidents, he said that Jadhav confessed the assassination of SSP Aslam Chaudhry in Karachi, targeting various workers of FWO in Balochistan and many IED attacks carried out in Quetta, Turbat and other cities, especially in Balochistan.
“He [Jadhav] supported TTP and other groups, especially in the attacks on the Mehran Naval Base, various Radar installations and the gas pipeline,” he said, adding all these were directly sponsored by RAW.
He recalled that India was provided with a copy of the passport that was in the possession of Commander Jadhav, when he was apprehended, adding the passport bears a Muslim name, Hussein Mubarak Patel, which clearly is not Commander Jadhav.
He said that India has been unable and unwilling to provide an explanation about how and why an authentic Indian passport was used on a false ID, not once but at least 17 times, as Commander Jadhav traveled in and out of India. “Indian silence is telling,” he added.
Faisal said that Pakistan wanted that Jadhav’s wife and mother to speak not only to Pakistani media but also to the Indian media. “We had formally proposed this to India. This was done in the spirit that Pakistan has nothing to hide and like all of you seeks answers to many questions that remain unanswered,” he said. However, the Indian side requested that they wanted to avoid media interaction, he added.
He said that the visit was allowed in line with Islamic practices and teachings, adding that Islam is the religion of peace and advocates mercy. “It is a gesture of good faith and compassion. Commander Jadhav’s actions at Indian behest have deprived many mothers of their sons and daughters,” he said, adding Pakistan upholds the Islamic morals and values which teach mercy, grace and compassion for all.
“Such decisions should serve as templates for others to follow everywhere including Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir where innocent blood continues to be spilled,” he asserted.
“This is a very important day for Pakistan, being the birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. It was in this light that this day was chosen for the humanitarian meeting of Commander Jadhav with his wife and mother,” he stated, adding the Christmas is also celebrated and “our best wishes go to our Christian friends in Pakistan and all around the world.”
The spokesperson also shared with the media the medical reports of Jadhav on December 22, 2017 from German Hospital Dubai which declared that “Kulbhushan Jadhav is in excellent health condition.”
A new video message of Kulbhushan Jadhav was also played during the presser in which the convicted spy repeated a part of his earlier confessional statement and also thanked the government of Pakistan for arranging his meeting with his family. “I am Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav, No 41558 Zulu of the Indian Navy. I crossed into Pakistan from Iran about two years back while working with RAW…And while apprehended by the Pakistani law enforcing agencies in Balochistan. I’ve been treated with dignity and honor and in a very professional manner by the Pakistani authorities. I requested a meeting with my wife on humanitarian grounds and I have been informed that my mother and wife are coming over to meet me…I’m really thankful to the government of Pakistan for showing this grand gesture,” Jadhav stated in the video.”
