India’s attempts to support the arrested former Navy official Kulbhushan Jadhav in Pakistan faced a hurdle on Wednesday when Islamabad postponed a scheduled meeting with the Indian envoy.
Sources said that the meeting was only postponed for a day, and not cancelled. The postponement was announced soon after India summoned Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan to discuss the status of the case. Sources had informed The Hindu that High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale was expected to raise the issue of assistance to Mr. Jadhav during the meeting on Wednesday with Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua.
The meeting is significant as it was scheduled in the backdrop of reports that Pakistan would not allow consular access for Mr. Jadhav.
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The agenda
“[The meeting was to take up] certified copies of proceedings of Court of Inquiry, Summary of Evidence and medical report on Jadhav, assistance with a lawyer to defend Jadhav in appeal, visas for family members to visit Pakistan for legal process and consular access as provided in Vienna Convention on consular matters,” said a source.