Pakistan said it would grant consular access to an alleged Indian spy on death row Monday, weeks after the International Court of Justice called for a review of his sentence in a case that has stoked tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals.
“Consular access for Indian spy Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav, a serving Indian naval officer, and RAW operative is being provided on Monday 2 September 2019,” tweeted foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal late Sunday.
Consular access for Indian spy Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav, a serving Indian naval officer and RAW operative, is being provided on Monday 2 September 2019, in line with Vienna Convention on Consular relations, ICJ judgement & the laws of Pakistan.
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 1, 2019
A senior Indian government official confirmed the meeting, and told the international news outlet that New Delhi hoped “Pakistan will ensure the right atmosphere so that the meeting is free, fair, meaningful and effective in keeping with the letter and spirit of the ICJ orders”.
The decision comes weeks after the ICJ in July ordered Islamabad to provide the prisoner with consular access but rejected India’s demand that Jadhav be freed.
Tensions have soared between the arch-rivals in recent weeks following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s move last month to revoke the autonomy of Kashmir
The former Indian naval officer was arrested in March 2016 in Pakistan’s restive southwestern province of Balochistan – a region where Islamabad has long accused New Delhi of backing separatist rebels.
According to Indian officials, Jadhav retired from the navy in 2001 and was running a “logistics” business in the Iranian port of Chabahar.
New Delhi insists he was taken captive in Iran before being moved to Pakistan and then forced to confess.
Commander Jadhav remains in Pakistan’s custody, for espionage, terrorism and sabotage.
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 1, 2019
Tensions have soared between the arch-rivals in recent weeks following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s move last month to revoke the autonomy of its portion of the disputed Kashmir region.
In response, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has launched a diplomatic offensive against India and led mass protests lambasting Modi.
Read more: Pakistan grants Consular Access to RAW Spy Kulbhushan Jadhav
Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since independence and has been the spark for two major wars and countless skirmishes between the rivals.
GVS Analysis: RAW and Pakistan
Pakistani security agencies have more than once uncovered plots by Indian Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) to sow seeds of chaos in Pakistan. RAW has been active in Balochistan backing the separatist leaders and has been involved in several attacks on Pakistani Armed Forces. Kalbhushan Jadhav was part of such a ring.
Pakistani Intelligence Agencies caught the spy and trialed him under Military courts for espionage and sentenced him to death but India took the matter to ICJ where Pakistan was asked to grant the consular access to the spy.
AFP with additional input by GVS News Desk