Kulbhushan Jadhav under high pressure to accept Pakistan's terms: India

Islamabad : In the first consular meeting with Kulbhushan Jadhav in three years, India's Acting High Commissioner in Islamabad Gaurav Ahluwalia saw him under immense pressure to speak in accordance to the Pakistan's terms.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said the meeting was recorded, but there was no restriction on the "language of communication" between Jadhav and Ahluwalia.

After the meeting, New Delhi released an official statement saying he appeared under “extreme pressure” to support Islamabad’s “false narrative” in his case. India’s assertion came after Ahluwalia met Jadhav at 12.30 pm IST for “two hours”, a day after Pakistan granted consular access in line with a ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Pakistan has been claiming that Kulbhushan Jadhav entered their country illegally, while India has said that he was running a business in Iran from where he was abducted and then illegally taken to the Pakistan.

Officials said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to Jadhav’s mother and briefed her about Monday’s meeting.

"Jadhav appeared to be under extreme pressure to parrot a false narrative to bolster Pakistan’s untenable claims," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

In a statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said that pursuant to the ICJ decision, “Consular access was provided at 1200 hours and lasted for two (02) hours, in the presence of officials of the Government of Pakistan. On Indian request, there was no restriction on the language of communication. In order to ensure transparency and in line with standard operating procedures, and as conveyed to the Indian side in advance, the access was recorded.”

The spokesperson said that Pakistan “provided un-impeded, uninterrupted consular access to India to Jadhav”.