Pak rules out giving India second consular access to Jadhav

Pakistan on Thursday (September 12) ruled out giving India a second consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav who has been sentenced to death by a military court on charges of “espionage and terrorism”.

Jadhav, 49, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of “espionage and terrorism” in April 2017, following which India had moved the International Court of Justice (ICJ), seeking a stay on his death sentence and further remedies. Charged Affairs at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad Gaurav Ahluwalia met Jadhav on September 2 for two hours after Pakistan granted consular access to the retired Indian Navy officer following a directive from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in July. “There is no other meeting,” Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said in response to a question about Pakistan giving consular access to Jadhav again.

Pakistan claims that its security forces arrested Jadhav from the restive Balochistan province on March 3, 2016 after he reportedly entered from Iran. However, India maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy.

Pakistan foreign ministry spokesperson also announced that Pakistan would charge USD 20 per person as service fee for the Kartarpur Corridor. “Pakistan will charge USD 20 per person as service fees, not entrance fees, for the Kartarpur Corridor, Faisal said.