India has demanded consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav for the 16th time.
The mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav, the Indian man sentenced to death in Pakistan allegedly for spying, has filed an appeal at a higher court in Pakistan. The appeal was filed in the name of Avanti Jadhav by the Indian envoy in Islamabad in the Pakistan court of appeals today.
India also demanded consular access to Mr Jadhav for the 16th time. So far, Pakistan has denied all requests for access in the case. On Monday, Pakistan's envoy Abdul Basit said under a 2008 agreement between India and Pakistan, consular access was only given to civilian prisoners and fishermen. Mr Jadhav has been accused of spying and so, Pakistan had followed due process.
Sources say India also asked for certified copies of the court proceedings, summary of evidence, medical reports, a lawyer to defend Jadhav and visas for his family to visit Pakistan.
Pakistan has claimed that Mr Jadhav, 46, was arrested from the restive Balochistan province on March 3, 2016, where he was working as a spy for intel agency Research and Analysis Wing or RAW. It also claimed that he was "a serving officer in the Indian Navy."
A video released by the Pakistan Army showed him making similar claims. He is also heard saying that he is an officer of the Indian Navy and will retire in 2022.
India has rubbished the claims. Mr Jadhav, the government said was a retired Navy officer carrying on a business in Iran, from where he was kidnapped.
Mr Jadhav was awarded death sentence earlier this month, evoking a sharp reaction in India. The government said if the death sentence was carried out, it would be a case of pre-meditated murder and warned Pakistan of consequences and damage to bilateral ties.