Have been 'open and transparent' about Kulbhushan Jadhav meeting, says Pakistan

Islamabad Pakistan on Thursday said it has been open and transparent throughout the meeting between alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav and his wife and mother and added that it was not an ordinary meeting as Jadhav is a convicted Indian terrorist and spy and therefore it necessitated a comprehensive security check of the visiting kin Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif in a reply after Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj slammed Pakistan over serious and gross violation of human rights in the treatment of Jadhavs mother and wife rejected the Indian allegationsFile photo of Kulbhushan JadhavHe said that Pakistan has been open and transparent throughout the meeting offered in good faith We do not wish to indulge in fallacious accusations and blame game and should focus on the bigger positive outcome that the meeting happened despite immense challenges and impediments instead of distortion of facts and baseless propaganda which vitiates the atmosphere and is counterproductiveReferring to the intense hue and cry in the Indian media questioning the modalities of the visit and advancing farfetched conspiracy theories about the change of clothes of the visitors the retention of the shoe of the wife and the language in which the meeting was conducted the Minister said that Pakistans humanitarian gesture did not obviate the fact that this was not an ordinary meeting between a mother and wife with their son and husbandA comprehensive security check was therefore essential This was agreed between both countries in advance through diplomatic channels The visitors were treated with respect and dignity The change of clothes and removal of jewelleryornaments etc was purely for security reasons The visitors changed into their own clothes after the meeting All their belongings were returned to them before they left The wifes shoes were retained as they did not clear the security check A metal chip has been found in one of the shoes which is being analysed the Foreign Office statement saidAsif elaborated that many routine airport security checks for ordinary people entail removal of crosses and veils Trying to distort an agreed security check and attempting to portray it as a deliberate religiouscultural disrespect denotes bad faith and is regrettable It is unfortunate that the frenzied Indian media is driving Indian politicsHe said that Pakistan has been open and transparent throughout the meeting offered in good faithHe said the purpose of the visit was to have a meeting between Jadhav and his wife and mother which was successfully achieved despite all impediments This needs to be acknowledgedThe meeting initially was scheduled for 30 minutes but was extended to 40 minutes on their request The success of the meeting was evident by the fact that the mother thanked Pakistan after the visit he addedThe Foreign Office spokesperson during the briefing said the meeting was not allowed to be conducted in Marathi due to security reasons There is nothing sinister in that They spoke comfortably in English for about 40 minutes which is duly recorded again India was preinformed that the meeting would be recordedThe mother was allowed to say a short prayer in HindiMarathiOn the media presence outside the building he said Pakistan had formally proposed a detailed media interaction of the visitors including with Indian media to be held in the Foreign Office This was even shared with the Pakistani media well beforehand However this proposal was turned down by India in writing This was respected and the Indian request was acceptedHowever media has every right to ask questions from a safe distance in line with international norms No specific distance was agreed to as reported in certain sections of the media However the situation on ground in MoFA was shown to the officers of Indian High Commission in the evening of December 24 and they consented to it Indian media is driving its policy Unlike India media in Pakistan is not under any restrictions or gag orders