Kulbhushan Jadhav, an Indian death row prisoner in Pakistan, is set to meet his wife and mother today in Islamabad amid high security. Retired Indian Navy officer Jadhav, 47, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April this year. Pakistan claim that its security forces arrested Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel from its Balochistan province on March 3, 2016 after he reportedly entered from Iran. India denies all charges.

India moved the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in May this year against the verdict. The ICJ halted his execution on India’s appeal pending the final verdict by it.

The meet

Jadhav's wife and mother landed in Pakistan to meet him, for the first time since his arrest, at the Foreign Affairs Ministry (MOFA), according to Pakistani media. The two women arrived in the capital via a commercial flight and are expected to leave today after the meeting takes place. Officials said all arrangements are in place to facilitate the meeting.

TV footage showed a convoy of around seven vehicles escorting Jadhav’s family in the city. A Pakistani Foreign Office spokesperson said that Jadhav’s family spent more than half an hour at the Indian High Commission before the meeting.

TV footage shows that they entered main building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were accompanied by Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh and a Pakistani woman official. The wife and mother greeted the media after arrival but refused to respond to questions.

“The meeting between Jadhav and his wife and mother has started,” Pakistani officials said. The meeting, expected to will last about 30 minutes, started at around 1:35 PM. The meeting was taking place at the MOFA’s Agha Shahi Block. Pakistan’s Foreign Office Director, India Dr Fareha Bugti was present at the meeting.

Pakistan Foreign Office released pictures of Jadhav talking to his wife and mother from behind a glass screen. The communication between them was through a intercom device. The meeting has ended, the Foreign Office said. It lasted for 40 minutes. Before the meeting, the security check of the family was performed.

The Pakistan Foreign Office also tweeted a picture of the mother and wife of Jadhav inside the building. “The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan. We honour our commitments,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said along with a picture of the visitors on Twitter. He also tweeted that the meeting was "a humanitarian gesture".

Jadhav was already at the MOFA before the arrival of his family. It was not known where he had been kept before being transported to the ministry.

Pakistan issued a new video of Jadhav in which he is seen thanking the Pakistan government for arranging a meeting with his wife and mother. "The video message played by the Foreign Office during a press conference after Jadhav’s meeting with his family was recorded before their meeting," officials said. “I requested a meeting with my wife and mother and I am thankful to Government of Pakistan for this gesture,” Jadhav said in the brief video message.

consular access

Earlier, Pakistan said that they granted India consular access to Indian death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav by allowing the presence of an Indian diplomat during the meeting with his family, Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told a Pakistani media channel. In India, officials downplayed the comments by the Pakistani minister, maintaining that the Indian diplomat was only accompanying Jadhav’s family and it cannot be construed as “consular access”.

Asif, however, said Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh accompanying Jadhav’s wife and mother could be considered “consular access”. Asked specifically if it constituted consular access as an Indian official would be present in the meeting, Asif said, “Yes”. “Had India been in place of us, it would not have given us this concession,” he told Geo News.

Asif also said the decision on the mercy appeal would be taken keeping in view the interests of Pakistan.

no official confirmation

The Pakistan Foreign Office has not officially confirmed if Singh’s presence in the meeting would be treated equivalent to providing consular access which India has been demanding. It was also not clear if Singh would be allowed to interact with Jadhav during the meeting with his family or he would be just be a silent participant.

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said more than once that the decision to allow Jadhav to meet his family was taken on “humanitarian grounds”. He made no reference to “consular access”.

Jadhav would be meeting his family today at the foreign office in Islamabad. The exact time of Jadhav’s meeting with his family is not known but officials said it would be around midday or early afternoon. The duration has also not been confirmed but it may last for an hour, according to sources in the Foreign Office.

Jadhav’s family is flying to Islamabad via the UAE. The UAE airliner EK–612 bringing Jadhav’s family was delayed by about 40 minutes, according to officials.

Press interaction?

Pakistan had announced it will issue photos and video of the meeting and also allow the family to interact with media, if India agrees. Officials also said Jadhav’s family would not interact with the media.

Stringent security measures have been arranged around Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, the venue of the meet. Police and paramilitary security forces including sharpshooters have been deployed to provide adequate security said Pakistani officials.

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