Indian request for consular access under consideration: Pak

Islamabad, Apr 7: Pakistan today said it was still considering India's request for consular access to an alleged Indian 'spy' detained in the country and the issue would be considered under bilateral agreement on such matters.

"The Indian request for consular access is under consideration," Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said. "It may be pertinent to mention that in the case of Pakistan and India, there is an agreement on consular matters.

The request would be considered in view of the relevant clauses of the agreement," he said at the weekly briefing. Kulbhushan Yadhav, who was reportedly arrested in Balochistan after he entered from Iran, has been accused by Pakistan of planning "subversive activities" in the country.

Zakaria's remarks came after local media reports said that the conditional access may be granted if India accepts that Yadav was on spy mission when arrested. He said Pakistan was "concerned at the subversive activities of RAW" against it and its interests from various locations in the region.

"We believe in living in a friendly and peaceful environment with all our neighbours, which can lead to the betterment of our peoples," he said. He said the probe in the spy case was in process and law enforcement agencies were making every effort to apprehend all individuals involved in subversive activities in Pakistan.

Pakistan Army had also released a "confessional video" of Yadav, who said he was the serving Indian Navy officer. India has acknowledged Yadav as a retired Indian Navy officer, but denied the allegation that he was in any way connected to the government.

Zakaria said Pakistan had briefed the P5 members, EU and others on the issue and requested these countries to raise the issue of RAW's alleged involvement in Pakistan with India.

To a question, Zakaria said that the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) visited India in context of the Pathankot terror attack probe.

"Investigations are underway and the JIT is evaluating the information shared by the Indian side. Further queries on this issue may be directed to the Ministry of Interior," he said.

To another question about Samjhuta train blast case, he said that Pakistan had taken up the issue with the Indian side repeatedly since the incident because 48 innocent Pakistanis lost their lives in that terrorist attack.

"The Indian side at the highest political level had agreed to share the outcome of the investigations with us.

However, we are still waiting. We will keep on raising the issue with them," he said. He said that negotiations were the best means to resolve the issues and Pakistan had said many times that both countries were in contact with each other for foreign secretary level talks and "it has been reiterated from both sides that modalities are being worked out."

PTI