Yesterday a senior Pakistani official revealed that The National Security Advisors of India and Pakistan have held a “secret” meeting in Thailand. On the condition of anonymity, the Pakistan national security division official said that the meeting between India’s national security advisor Ajit Doval and Pakistan’s national security advisor retired Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua took place in Thailand on 27th December. It was reported by The Dawn newspaper.
The Pakistani newspaper quoted the Pakistani official as saying, “The meeting was good and Ajit Doval’s tone and tenor was friendly and positive.” The official also told The Dawn that he had been briefed about the meeting. He was told that the meeting was useful and said it might be helpful in restarting some sort of engagement at the considerable stress during the tightly-controlled interaction.
The meeting came two days after Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court, met with his family in Islamabad on 25th December. Pakistan has been terming its decision to allow Indian national’s family to travel to Islamabad to meet him as a humanitarian gesture. India has accused it of violating mutual understandings, further asserting that Mr. Kulbhusan Jadhav appeared to be coerced and he was under considerable stress during the tightly Pak- controlled interaction.
India has also slammed Pakistan for disregarding cultural and religious sensibilities of family members of Kulbhushan Jadhav under the pretext of security. Mr. Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged espionage. The accusation has been dismissed by India as concocted. New Delhi says Mr. Jadhav was kidnapped in Iran and brought to Pakistan while he was pursuing his legitimate business interests.
India moved the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to save Mr. Jadhav. The court ordered Pakistan in May to stay Jadhav’s execution. India also made an accusation against Pakistan that it disregarded cultural and religious sentiments of family members by ordering the removal of Mangal sutra and Bindi under the pretext of security. The Indian National was captured in March last year and he was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying. India has dismissed the accusation as being under false pretext.
New Delhi in a report said that Jadhav was kidnapped in Iran where he had legitimate business interests, and brought to Pakistan. India moved the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which after hearing from both sides ordered Pakistan in May to stay his execution.
Pakistan’s national security advisor Janjua met former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday at his Jati Umra residence in Raiwind. As per Pakistani media reports, the meeting reportedly lasted five hours and it mainly included discussions on matters of defense and national security, relations with Pakistan’s neighboring countries like Afghanistan and China and terrorism.
