Pak to arrange Jadhav's meeting with wife 'on humanitarian grounds'

The Pakistan Government has decided to arrange a meeting of Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav with his wife, purely on humanitarian grounds.

The development was confirmed by the Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry.

A Note Verbale, a diplomatic note that is drafted in third person and is unsigned, with this regard has been sent to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.

Jadhav was arrested in Balochistan, Pakistan, over charges of alleged involvement in espionage and subversive activities for India's intelligence agency - the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy.

On April 10, 2017, Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Field General Court Martial (FGCM) in Pakistan.

On May 18, 2017, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) stayed the hanging, after India approached it against the death sentence.

India has appealed to the court to impose emergency measures for Jadhav's execution to be suspended until the legal battle in Hague concludes, while also accusing Pakistan of violating the Vienna Convention by failing to provide him with consular access and for being in breach of international human rights law.

To this end, India's written response was submitted to registrar Philippe Couvreur of the ICJ. Pakistan will submit counter memorial on or before December 13, 2017.