Taking all measures to gain consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav: VK Singh

Muslims protest against Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif for the death sentence given to Kulbhushan Jadhav, in Allahabad, on Friday. Pic/PTI

New Delhi: Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh said the government was taking all measures to gain consular access to former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav despite Pakistan denying it "13 times".

"Pakistan government has denied consular access to Jadhav despite India trying 13 times. We are trying everything to get access to Jadhav," he said, talking to reporters. Singh maintained that Jadhav was abducted from Iran.

A Pakistan military court had on April 10 sentenced Jadhav to death in a secret trial for alleged involvement in "espionage and sabotage activities" in Balochistan and Karachi.

The Vienna Convention states the State that detains a national of another country must allow consular officers of that country to access the detainee. India had said on Friday that it would appeal against the sentence, and demanded from Pakistan a certified copy of the chargesheet and the army court order, besides seeking access to Jadhav.

Asked about a video of CRPF jawans being heckled by youths going viral on social media, Singh, who addressed a gathering of ex-servicemen at a convention on ‘Nationalism and Patriotism', said: "I don't watch such videos, or comment without knowing the ground realities."