Islamabad: After Kulbhushan Jadhav met his wife and mother in Islamabad for the first time since his arrest in March 2016, the Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry on Monday released a new and suspicious video of the Indian prisoner.
"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.
In June 2017, the Pakistan military had released a 'second confessional video' of the Indian national, in which purportedly Jadhav was seen "accepting his acts of terrorism and espionage".
India had at that time, dismissed the video as 'farcical' and had said that 'manufactured facts' cannot alter the reality in the case.
Meanwhile, earlier on Monday accompanied by Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh and a Pakistani woman official, TV footage showed Jadhav's mother, Avanti and wife, Chetankul, entering the main building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Later, Pakistan FO released pictures of Jadhav talking to his wife and mother from behind a glass screen. The communication between them was through an intercom device.
Meeting between Commander Kulbushan Jhadev & his family in progress pic.twitter.com/THG925V1fO
— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017
The meeting was held at the Foreign Ministry's Agha Shahi Block. Before the meeting, the security check of the family was performed.
"Pakistan permits the meeting of wife and mother of Commander Jadhav with him, as a humanitarian gesture, on the birthday of the Father of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah," Foreign Office Spokesperson Mohammad Faisal had tweeted.
Pakistan permits the meeting of wife and mother of Commander Jadhav with him, as a humanitarian gesture, on the birthday of the Father of the nation, Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017
"The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan. We honour our commitments," Faisal also tweeted.
The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pakistan . We honour our commitments pic.twitter.com/hILiMyp7Zl
— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017
Addressing the press later, Faisal said, "It was a humanitarian meeting, it was not consular access. The Indian diplomat JP Singh was present and could see the meeting but was not allowed to meet, we extended the meeting by ten minutes on request of Jadhav."
He added, "It was for security reasons, we had already told them that you will be able to meet him but a security barrier would be there."
Faisal also repeated old allegations by Pakistan against Jadhav and called him a 'spy' and a 'terrorist'.
From Pakistan's side, Foreign Office Director India Dr Fareha Bugti was present at the meeting.
Jadhav's family arrived at the ministry after a stop at the Indian High Commission where they stayed for half an hour. The two women arrived in Islamabad via Dubai on a commercial flight.
Pakistan had issued the visa to Jadhav's wife and mother on December 20, 2017, to visit Islamabad to meet him.
Jadhav, 47, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of 'espionage' and 'terrorism' in April 2017, following which India moved the ICJ in May. The ICJ halted his execution on India's appeal pending the final verdict by it.
Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel from its restive Balochistan province 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.
(With Agency inputs)
