Indian death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav today met his wife and mother at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Pakistani officials said.
Accompanied by Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh and a woman Pakistani official, TV footage showed Jadhav's family entering the main building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the door shutting behind them.
"The meeting between Jadhav and his wife and mother has started," Pakistani officials said.
The wife and mother greeted the media after arrival but refused to respond to questions.
Jadhav's family arrived at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from the Indian High Commission where the wife and mother of Jadhav halted for more than half an hour.
Jadhav was at the MOFA before the arrival of his family. It was not known where he had been kept before being transported to the ministry.
Earlier today, hours after Pakistani media claimed that Islamabad had granted India consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav, it again quoted country’s foreign office as saying that there was no such move by the government.
The clarification came after Pakistan-based Geo News had quoted Pakistan foreign minister Khawaja Asif as saying that the country had granted India consular access to the Indian jailed in the neighbouring country.
Kulbhushan's wife and mother arrived in the capital via a commercial flight and are expected to leave today after the meeting takes place. They are accompanied by Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh, Dawn News reported.
Officials said all arrangements are in place for the meeting between Jadhav and his wife and mother. Sharpshooters were deployed at the sprawling the building ahead of the meeting.
Here are the highlights:
6:00 pm: In the press conference, Pakistan described Jadhav as "the face of Indian terror" and said it would decide on consular access to him at an appropriate time. It added that the meeting between Jadhav and his family was not the last.
"This is not the last meeting. Let me say it categorically," Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammed Faisal told reporters after former Indian Navy officer Jadhav's wife Chetankul and mother Avanti met him for the first time after his detention in March 2016.
05:00 pm: 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: Dr.Mohd Faisal,Pak Foreign Ministry Spokesperson to ANI on glass barrier between Jadhav and his mother and wife
04:54 pm: Pakistan foreign office says that the meeting was not consular access as the Indian diplomat JP Singh was present and could see the meeting but was not allowed to meet. "It was a humanitarian meeting... we extended the meeting by 10 minutes on request of Jadhav," Mohd Faisal, Pak Foreign Ministry Spokesperson told media.
04:30 pm: In one sense, it is a step forward because 22 months after they arrested this poor man, finally somebody is able to see him. On the other hand, the way in which roll unfolded was deeply unsatisfactory: Shashi Tharoor, Congress on Kulbhushan Jadhav's meeting with his family
04:17 pm: I requested a meeting with my wife and mother and I am thankful to Govt of Pakistan for this grand gesture: Jadhav says in the video (Read full story here)
04:10 pm: Pakistan foreign office releases first video of Kulbhushan Jadhav after meeting with his wife and mother.
03:50 pm: Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother and his wife to leave from Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad as their meeting with him ended.
03:39 pm: Meeting between Kulbhushan Jadhav, his wife and mother ends. The meeting ran for 40 minutes.
03:20 pm: Pak media publishes pictures of ongoing meeting between Kulbhushan jadhav and hs family. Pakistan foriegn office expected to address the media after the meeting
02:27 pm: The meeting will last for 30 minutes, said Pakistani officials.
02:16 pm:
02:11 pm: Kulbhushan Jadhav meets mother, wife at Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad: Pak officials
02:04 pm:
01:58 pm:
01:56 pm: Kulbhushan's wife and mother reach Pakistan's foreign affairs ministry.
01:07 pm: Mother and wife of Kulbhshan Jadhav reach Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
01:00 pm: Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother to first visit the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. The meeting is expected to take place at 1pm: Pak Media
12:31 pm:
In addition to the Indian envoy, a couple of Foreign Office officials will also be present during the meeting, which could last from 15 minutes to one hour, according to FO sources.
The mother and wife of Jadhav were being provided with a meeting with him in the light of "Islamic traditions and based on purely humanitarian grounds," Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had said.
Also Read: Pakistan media says Kulbhushan Jadhav to get consular access, India downplays claim
Pakistan on December 20 issued a visa to Jadhav's wife and mother 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, following which India moved the ICJ in May. The ICJ halted his execution on India's appeal pending the final verdict by it.
Pakistan has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav on the ground that it was not applicable in cases related to spies.
It said that Jadhav is not an ordinary person as he had entered the country with the intent of spying and carrying out sabotage activities.
Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel from its restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year 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 PTI inputs)
