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Published 18:58 IST, September 2nd 2019

MEA says Kulbhushan Jadhav was "under pressure", briefs his mother

Indian diplomat met Kulbhushan Jadhav on Monday, for the first time since his detention in 2016, after being granted consular access by Pakistan on Sunday.

Reported by: Monica Aggarwal
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Indian diplomat met Kulbhushan Jadhav on Monday, for the first time since his detention in 2016, after being granted consular access by Pakistan on Sunday. Charge d’ Affaires Gaurav Ahluwalia, India's Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad, met Kulbhushan Jadhav at a sub-jail for an hour. Following the meeting, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) briefed Jadhav's mother about the developments, as reported by news agency ANI. MEA also stated that, during the meeting, it was clear that Kulbhushan Jadhav appeared to be under "extreme pressure" to echo Pakistan's false narrative. Meanwhile, the MEA is awaiting a comprehensive report by the High Commission of India in Islamabad. 

The MEA further informed that decision on a further course of action will be taken after the detailed report from the Charge d’ Affaires. The conformity on the extends ICJ directives from Pakistan side during the consular access will also be determined following the report. 

READ | Kulbhushan Jadhav case: India to get access, tells Pak 'abide by ICJ'

India gets consular access of Jadhav

India's Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad Gaurav Ahluwalia met retired Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav at the sub-jail in Pakistan. The development of the meeting came at a time when the relations between India and Pakistan are strained in the light of the abrogation of Article 370 by India. Pakistan has shown displeasure with India's move, following which Imran Khan government has taken several steps to peddle fake news against India. India had demanded "immediate, effective and unhindered" consular access to Jadhav from Pakistan and was in touch with Islamabad through diplomatic channels. On Sunday, taking to Twitter, Pakistan foreign minister Mohammad Faisal had stated that consular access for Jadhav will be provided on September 2 "in line with Vienna Convention on Consular relations, ICJ judgement & the laws of Pakistan".

READ | MEA condemns warmongering by Pakistan leadership, calls out their lies

India wins at ICJ in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case

The International Court of Justice had on July 17, gave a unanimous decision (15-1) in favour of India. Pronouncing its verdict in the matter, the ICJ had called out Pakistan for violating the Vienna Convention, declaring that Pakistan had breached the Vienna Convention by not informing India about Jadhav's detention. The ICJ also verified the legality of India approaching the court in the matter and reaffirmed its jurisdiction in the case, ordering Pakistan to provide India consular access to Jadhav. Pakistan was furthermore asked to review and reconsider its conviction of the sentence of Kulbhushan Jadhav and declared a continued stay on the execution of Jadhav.

Updated 19:48 IST, September 2nd 2019