NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday sent a strongly worded note verbale to Pakistan, seeking the release of Indians who have completed their terms in Pakistani jails, and consular access to five prisoners, including Kulbhusan Jadhav, who was convicted of spying and sentenced to death by a military court.Jadhav’s case is now before the International Court of Justice, which is expected to rule on it in a month or two.
The note also expressed concern over the death of an Indian fisherman, identified as Bhikha, in a Pakistani prison, and sought the release of 15 civilians and 385 Indian fishermen who have been languishing in Pakistan jails despite completing their sentences. “It is requested that urgent and concrete steps be taken to repatriate them to India at the earliest, along with their boats,” it said.
The lengthy note sent to the Pakistan foreign ministry by the Indian High Commission also said that “the Government of India has been consistently raising with Pakistan its concern regarding missing Indian defence personnel, including Prisoners of War, believed to be in Pakistan’s custody…However, no response has been received.
It is requested that necessary steps be taken to locate, release and repatriate the missing Indian defence personnel believed to be in Pakistan custody.”
The note also requested Pakistan to expedite the grant of visas to the members of the medical experts team, proposed to visit Pakistan to assess the mental condition of believed-to-be-Indian prisoners of unsound mind lodged in different jails of Pakistan; organise early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan; and organise early the visit of the 4–member team to Karachi in connection with release and repatriation of 22 Indian fishing boats.