FM says India looking for excuses to drag Pakistan to ICJ

ISLAMABAD : Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Friday two consular officers of the Indian High Commission were provided unimpeded and unconditional consular access to Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav but they left without hearing him out. Speaking to a private television channel, the Foreign Minister said the officials were reluctant to talk to Jadhav and opted for an escape without listening to him. Their behaviour has laid bare India’s mala fide intentions as Delhi didn’t want consular access in the first place, he added. Due to India’s objections, Shah Mahmood said this time glass partition was also removed and no audio or video recording of the conversation between the Indian consular officers and Kulbhushan Jadhav was done. He said Pakistan, respecting international laws and the ICJ verdict, provided consular access for a second time and fulfilled New Delhi’s demands for unimpeded and unconditional access to Jadhav so it is left with no excuse to accuse Islamabad of disobeying the ICJ ruling in the Jadhav case. The foreign minister said Indian is looking for excuses to drag Pakistan back to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In a statement earlier, he had said Pakistan gave the consular access to the Indian spy under agreed terms but they turned a deaf ear towards his calls. He said Pakistan fulfilled all demands of the Indian diplomats, but even then they preferred to go away without having any talk with Commander Jadhav. The foreign minister said even Kulbhushan Jadhav was surprised over their behaviour and stunned when the Indian officials left the meeting room without talking to him.