Pakistan to grant consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav today

NEW DELHI: Pakistan on Sunday said it would provide consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav on Monday. A former naval officer, Jadhav has been sentenced to death by a court alleged for ‘espionage and terrorism’.

Islamabad has granted India access to Jadhav at 12 noon for two hours. The back-to-back signals from Pakistan—offer of talks by foreign minister and decision to grant consular access—could be seen as an attempt by Pakistan to ease pressure after it failed to garner support for its Kashmir narrative.

But India, according to informed sources, made it clear that anything short of “unimpeded” and “unrestricted” consular access to Jadhav will not be accepted.


A tweet from Pakistan’s foreign office said India will be given consular access to him on Monday “in line with Vienna Convention on Consular relations, ICJ judgement & the laws of Pakistan”.

This is the first time that 49-year-old Jadhav—sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in April 2017—will be given consular access.


Meanwhile, parliamentary delegations from India and Pakistan on Sunday had heated exchange of words on the Kashmir in Male.