LAHORE: India has accused Pakistan of harassing the family of the Indian spy on death row, Kulbhushan Jadhav, saying their meeting was held in an “atmosphere of coercion”.
“It appears that Jadhav was under considerable stress and speaking in an atmosphere of coercion,” the Indian foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
The statement came a day after Kulbhushan Jadhav met his mother and wife in Islamabad.
It alleged that Jadhav’s conversation during the meeting was “tutored and designed to perpetuate the false narrative of his alleged activities in Pakistan.”
Indian High Commissioner JP Singh was present during the meeting, which lasted 40 minutes, but was not allowed to talk to the prisoner or listen to the conversation with his family, said the statement.
The ministry blamed Pakistan of disrespecting the cultural and religious sensibilities of Jadhav’s family, alleging they were asked to change their clothes, and that his wife was ordered to remove her “mangal sutra” — a necklace worn by married Hindu women.
It also accused Islamabad of allowing journalists to “harass and hector” the Jadhav’s family.
India also raised concerns over Jadhav’s health, although Pakistani officials said he was in good health.
Jadhav’s mother, wife satisfied with the meeting
Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal had said that Jadhav’s mother and wife were satisfied with the meeting and they thanked Pakistan.
Both the guests came and left in an honourable fashion, Faisal said
The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pakistan . We honour our commitments pic.twitter.com/hILiMyp7Zl
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017
Kulbhushan Jadhav, arrested by the security forces in Balochistan, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in April on charges of espionage and terrorism.
However, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in May halted his execution on India’s appeal.