India calls off maritime talks with Pakistan as tension soars over Jadhav

New Delhi: With tension over Kulbhushan Yadav soaring, India today called off maritime security dialogue with Pakistan, which were to be held next week. Pakistan’s Maritime Security Agency (MSA) was to send a delegation here for the talks on April 16-19, but Defence Ministry sources said the clearance had not been given for the visit of the Pakistani team.

The denial of clearance to the delegation comes amidst deepening row over death sentence awarded to Indian national Jadhav on charges of spying and subversion.

Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Gautam Bambawale had yesterday met Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tahmina Janjua and demanded consular access to Jadhav, a former naval officer, besides the chargesheet and a copy of the death verdict given by a military court.

According to reports, Jadhav was picked by Pakistan’s agencies from Iran, where he was doing some business. India has warned that if Jadhav’s death sentence was carried out it would amount to pre-meditated murder. (UNI)