News Analysis |
Days after Pakistan’s Foreign Office confirmed India’s agreement to Pakistan’s humanitarian offer of allowing the wife of self-confessed spy, Kulbushan Jadhav, to come and meet him, India has sent Pakistan a list of demands for the meeting.
According to the Indian Express, India wants Jadhav’s wife and mother to meet him along with an Indian envoy. Also, Delhi wants a sovereign guarantee from Islamabad that Jadhav’s family members would not be harassed or questioned when they visit him. Pakistan is yet to respond to the message.
Pakistan has ostensibly offered to arrange the meeting on humanitarian grounds. However, apparently, India is trying to eke out more from this meeting with an eye on his release.
Earlier this month, Pakistan offered India its allowance for Jadhav’s wife to come and meet him on humanitarian grounds as his fate hangs in the balance. Jadhav awaits a decision on his clemency appeal to the Army Chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa. Also, both countries are set to fight the case out in The Hague. Pakistan contended that the offer was made in-line with “Islamic traditions and jurisprudence”.
Read more: Delhi responds to Islamabad’s Jadhav offer positively !
Many observers are linking the offer with the impending legal battle at The Hague. At a time when tensions between the two countries are on the rise, even an acceptance of the offer is unlikely to melt the ice as both countries will fight over Jadhav in the days to come, especially in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Jadhav, a navy-officer-turned R&AW operative was caught in the act in an Intelligence Based Operation (IBO) last year from Mashkel, Balochistan. Subsequently, after his confession of involvement in espionage and terrorist activities inside Pakistan, Jadhav was sentenced to death.
Jadhav’s episode gave a great boost to Pakistan’s long-held yet ignored narrative about Indian involvement in terrorist activities in Pakistan. Delhi vowed to leave no stone unturned to save their discredited former operative.
India wants Jadhav’s wife and mother to meet him along with an Indian envoy. Also, Delhi wants a sovereign guarantee from Islamabad that Jadhav’s family members would not be harassed or questioned when they visit him.
Similar remarks were made India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in its weekly briefing. MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the government was determined to “pursue all measures” with “full vigor” so as to secure the final release of an innocent Indian. Moreover, Kumar, talking about the meeting said: “Such a meeting offer does not absolve Pakistan of the violations of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and Human Rights and not following the due process in treating Jadhav who remains incarcerated in Pakistan and faces death sentence through a farcical process and on concocted charges.”
Read more: Humanity first: Pakistan offers to allow Jadhav’s wife to see him!
There is complete silence regarding the decision of Jadhav’s clemency appeal. In early October, the Pakistan Army said that a decision on the mercy petition would be reached soon. Despite overwhelming support for Jadhav’s execution, many are of the opinion that it is prudent not to execute him.
There are two reasons for maintaining this line of argument. Observers feel that a living Jadhav is more valuable than a dead one. Besides, the execution will further damage ties between the two countries.
Jadhav’s episode gave a great boost to Pakistan’s long-held yet ignored narrative about Indian involvement in terrorist activities in Pakistan.
Pakistan has ostensibly offered to arrange the meeting on humanitarian grounds. However, apparently, India is trying to eke out more from this meeting with an eye on his release. It is intriguing as to why Pakistan allowed the meeting despite turning down Jadhav’s mother’s request earlier this year. Is it a sign of things to come?
Read more: Jadhav makes clemency appeal to the COAS: What will be his…
Also, will Pakistan take the platform of the ICJ as one where it can expound upon Indian activities in destabilizing it? By the look of things, Pakistan is not robustly preparing for the battle at The Hague. Is it mulling over following the order of the Field General Court Martial (FGMC) tendered in April this year?