Islamabad: Pakistani authorities have sent the shoes worn by Kulbhushan Jadhav’s wife for forensic examination to determine the nature of the suspected foreign object, a media report said Wednesday.
The Pak authorities were ascertaining whether the “metallic object” in the shoes was a camera or a recording chip, Pakistan Today quoted Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Mohammad Faisal as saying.
A report in Dawn reported that the FO confirmed a “metallic object ” had been detected in Jadhav’s wife’s shoes that were retained by security officials before the meeting with the Indian death row prisoner at the Foreign Office in Islamabad.
Jadhav’s wife’s shoes were kept for inspection, while all other belongings, including jewellery, were returned, Faisal said, adding that she was given another pair of shoes to wear after her shoes were removed.
In a statement issued last night, the FO made no mention of the “metallic substance” and had said that there was “something” in the shoes.
In the statement, Pakistan rejected as “baseless” India’s contentions that Jadhav’s wife and mother were troubled and claimed that his wife’s shoes were confiscated on security grounds as there was “something” in it. “There was something in the shoe. It is being investigated. We gave her a pair of replacement shoes. All her jewellery etc were returned after the meeting,” Faisal said.
The Indian external affairs ministry said in a statement Tuesday that Pakistan removed the mangal sutra, bangles and bindi of Jadhav’s mother and wife before they could meet him. India also accused Pakistan of disregarding religious sensibilities of the family under the guise of security.
“This included removal of mangal sutra, bangles and bindi, as well as a change in attire that was not warranted by security,” it said.
“The mother of Jadhav was prevented from talking in their mother tongue, although this was the natural medium of communication. She was repeatedly interrupted while doing so and eventually prevented,” the ministry said.
The Pak FO said that Pakistan does not wish to indulge in a “meaningless battle of words” and categorically rejects India’s baseless “allegations and twists” about the attitude of authorities during Jadhav’s meeting with his wife and mother.
“India’s baseless allegations and twists, that come 24 hrs after the visit of the wife and mother of Commander Jadhav, a convicted terrorist and spy, who has confessed to his crimes, are categorically rejected,” the statement said.
If Indian concerns were serious, the guests or the Indian DHC (Deputy High Commissioner) should have raised them during the visit, it said. “We do not wish to indulge in a battle of words. Our openness and transparency belie these allegations,” it said.
During the December 25 meeting, whose pictures were released by Pakistan, Jadhav was seen sitting behind a glass screen while his mother and wife sat on the other side. They spoke through intercom and the entire 40-minute proceedings appeared to have been recorded on video.
PTI