Pakistan denies India consular access

The Foreign Office on Sunday said that India is denying facts by calling spy Kulbhushan Jadhav a 'common prisoner.' Pakistan also denied India consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav, with the claim that it is a "travesty of logic" to link his case to that of "common prisoners." The two countries on Saturday last exchanged lists of prisoners in each other's custody and India requested that it be provided consular access to Jadhav, an Indian national who was arrested for spying for Indian top intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).
The Indian external affairs ministry also released a statement saying that Pakistan is working to implement a two-way agreement and will implement the consular access agreement "in its true essence." However, the Pakistan Foreign Office rejected the ministry's statement and said India is "suppressing facts" by calling Jadhav a civilian prisoner.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria in a statement said Pakistan has ensured effective implementation on the bilateral consular agreement with India. He said that RAW sent Jadhav to Pakistan to disrupt the country's peace and that the spy confessed to his crimes.
The Foreign Office statement followed India's demand to be granted consular access to Jadhav when the two countries exchanged lists of nationals of each country in jails of the other in accordance with the 2008 bilateral agreement on consular access. Both sides share such lists twice a year on January 1 and July 1 according to the agreement. The spokesperson said Indian humanitarian claims appear contrary to reality in view of the impossible conditionalities imposed for medical visas for Pakistani patients.
The Foreign Office further said that "Jadhav's activities have affected the lives of many Pakistanis." Pakistan released five Indian prisoners on June 22 after they completed their sentence, however, India has yet to release 20 Pakistanis who have duly completed their sentence, the Foreign Office spokesperson said.
He further added that Pakistan has not been given consular access to 107 fishermen and 85 citizens in Indian custody. "Despite an Indian court's orders to release minor Ali Raza and Babar Ali who mistakenly crossed the border, a one-year delay in their release was caused," the Foreign Office further said.