Kulbhushan Jadhav-family meet : Jadhav’s family members harassed-Report
A day after Kulbhushan Jadhav met his family members in Islamabad, India slammed Pakistan asserting that the “exercise lacked any credibility.”
In a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday, India hit out at Pakistan saying that the manner in which the meeting was conducted was an attempt to “bolster a false and unsubstantiated narrative of Jadhav’s alleged activities.” Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former naval officer spoke to his mother and his wife separated by a glass screen on telephone for 40 minutes in Islamabad.
The MEA also added that Jadhav appeared stressed and was speaking in an atmosphere of coercion during the meeting. “Most of his remarks were clearly tutored and designed to perpetuate the false narrative of his alleged activities in Pakistan. His appearance also raises questions of his health and well being.”
Adding that the family was forced to change their attire and that Jadhav’s wife Chetna’s shoes “were not returned to her for some inexplicable reason,” India warned Pakistan of “any mischievous intent.” Before the meeting, the duo were thoroughly checked and were forced to remove mangalsutra, bangles and bindi. The family was also not allowed to speak in their mother tongue during the meeting.
The ministry also attacked Pakistan for violating the agreement by allowing the Pakistani press to question and harass the family. It also criticised Pakistan for initiating the meeting without the presence of Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh. The Indian diplomat was seen standing in a separate room which was sealed by another glass partition and was not allowed access to the family, as agreed by both the countries.
Prior to the meeting, the two governments were in touch through diplomatic channels to work out its modalities and format, the MEA said. There were “clear understandings” between the two sides and the Indian side scrupulously abided by all its commitments, it said. “However, we note with regret that the Pakistani side conducted the meeting in a manner which violated the letter and spirit of our understandings,” the MEA statement said.
The statement comes after Jadhav’s mother Avanti and wife met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj earlier in the day. The family had met Jadhav for the first time since his conviction by a Pakistan military court on charges of espionage. The family reunion was watched by Fereha Bugti, Director (India) at the Pakistan Foreign Ministry.
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