NEW DELHI: Mother (Avanti) and wife (Chetankul) of Indian Naval Commander Kulbhushan Yadhav (who had been condemned on charges of espionage), after their 40-minute meeting (across glass screen) with him in Pakistan yesterday (Monday 25th of December) in Islamabad, called on Indian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sushma Swaraj at her residence, on their return, here today.

According to sources Minister had assured the duo that Indian Government was doing everything possible to ensure his release.

India (lamenting that the meeting was held in an atmosphere of coercion) accused Pakistan of harassing the duo.

Indian Govt. maintained that:

i) Cultural and religious sensibilities of family members were disregarded. This included removal of mangal sutra, bangles and bindi, as well as a change in attire;

ii) Pak spooks, suspecting that his wife was hiding something suspicious inside her shoes (that had unusually thick soles) made her remove them. She was provided with another pair of shoes while the suspected footwear was sent to a lab. 

iii) The mother of Jadhav was prevented from talking in their mother tongue;

iv) Deputy High Commissioner was kept behind an additional partition that did not allow him access to the meeting as agreed.

It is pertinent to mention here that Yadhav was tried by a Pak Military Court that sentenced him to death in the month of April, 2017 (but India still insists that he was a businessman based in Iran from where he was kidnapped). His execution was stopped on India’s appeal by ICJ in the month of May this year.

Pakistan Foreign Ministry – maintaining that Monday meeting had nothing to do with politics or the case pending before International Court of Justice (ICJ) – held that they came and left as guests honorably.

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