Pakistan silent on consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav

Islamabad : A day after Pakistan said they will allow consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav, the authorities went silent and India is awaiting their response.

49-year-old Kulbhushan Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of "espionage and terrorism" in April 2017. Later, India moved an appeal against the Pakistan Court's decision in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), seeking a stay on his death sentence and further remedies.

On July 17, the ICJ ruled that Pakistan must provide consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav.

On Thursday, Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) said Kulbhushan Jadhav will be granted consular access on Friday, two weeks after the world court ordered Islamabad to allow Indian officials to meet him.

"We have offered the Indian High Commission to avail consular access on this Friday. The reply from the Indian side is awaited," Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal said at the weekly media briefing.

However, on Friday, no action was taken from the Pakistan authorities and India is still waiting for an access to the Indian National. 

India on Thursday sent a communication to Pakistan making clear its position that the consular access must be "unimpeded" and should be in the light of the judgement by the ICJ.