Pak issues visa to Jadhav's wife, mother

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday issued visa to Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother to visit Islamabad to meet the Indian prisoner on death row on Monday. Jadhav, 47, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April, following which India moved the ICJ in May. The ICJ halted his execution on India's appeal pending the final verdict by it. "Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi issued the visas to the mother and wife of Commander Jadhav to visit Islamabad to meet him, today," Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal tweeted. Jadhav's family had applied for visas last week. The Foreign Office sources said that adequate security measures will be taken for the complete safety of Jadhav's family. Pakistan had agreed to facilitate a meeting of Jadhav with his mother and wife in Islamabad on December 25. A diplomat from the Indian high commission in Islamabad would be allowed to accompany the visitors. On Thursday, Pakistan directed its High Commission in New Delhi to issue visas to Jadhav's wife and mother. Pakistan has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav on the ground that it was not applicable in cases related to spies. It said that Jadhav is not an ordinary person as he had entered the country with the intent of spying and carrying out sabotage activities. Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel from its restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran. India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy.