Here's why Pakistan did not return the shoes of Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife

NEW DELHI: A day after Kulbhushan Jadhav met his family in Islamabad, Pakistan government came up with a bizarre explanation for removing his wife Chetankul's shoes during the monitored meeting.

“There was something in the shoe [of Jadhav's wife],” Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal told Pakistan daily Dawn News on Tuesday. 

The shoes were reportedly confiscated on security grounds of containing something ‘metallic’ and are currently being examined.

Jadhav's wife was provided with replacement shoes, said Faisal, further adding, "She (Chetnakul) acknowledged that she has got back all her stuff, except the shoe."

Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson was responding to Ministry of External Affairs' statement on Jadhav's meeting with his mother, wife.

“Under the pretext of security precautions, the 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 that was not warranted by security,” said the statement.

“For some inexplicable reason, despite her repeated requests, the shoes of the wife of Shri Jadhav were not returned to her after the meeting. We would caution against any mischievous intent in this regard,” it further added.

Responding to the above, Pakistan, in a statement said, "The Indian baseless allegations and twists, that come 24 hrs later, about the visit of the wife and mother of Commander Jadhav, a convicted terrorist and spy, who has confessed to his crimes, are categorically rejected. We do not wish to indulge in a meaningless battle of words. Our openness and transparency belies these allegations."

"If Indian concerns were serious, the guests or the Indian DHC [deputy high commissioner] should have raised them during the visit, with the media, which was readily available, but at a safe distance, as requested by India."

Jadhav on Monday met his wife and mother at the Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad for the first time since his arrest in March 2016. He spoke to them from behind a glass screen and through an intercom device.

The meeting was held at the Foreign Ministry's Agha Shahi Block. While leaving, both mother and wife were heckled by Pakistani journalists.

 

#WATCH Islamabad: Pakistani journalists heckle & harass #KulbhushanJadhav's mother & wife after their meeting with him, shout, 'aapke patidev ne hazaron begunah Pakistaniyo ke khoon se Holi kheli ispar kya kahengi?' & 'aapke kya jazbaat hain apne kaatil bete se milne ke baad?' pic.twitter.com/MUYjPmHY6F — ANI (@ANI) December 26, 2017

After returning to India, Avanti and Chetankul Jadhav held a three-hour-long meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Forty-seven-year-old Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of 'espionage' and 'terrorism' in April 2017, following which India moved the ICJ in May. The ICJ halted his execution on India's appeal pending the final verdict by it.

Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel from its restive Balochistan province after he reportedly entered from Iran.

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