NEW DELHI: In what is effectively the first high-level contact between India and Pakistani in months, Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj has met Pakistan High Commissioner Sohail Mahmood, official sources confirmed here.
Swaraj discussed bilateral relations with Mahmood, who officially took charge as Pakistan’s envoy to India only last month. Swaraj also touched upon India’s concerns over cross-border terrorism and asked for Islamabad to quickly bring to book the accused in Mumbai and Pathankot terror attacks.
Sources said the meeting with Mahmood took place earlier this week on Monday after her office was approached by the Pakistan envoy. Swaraj is also learnt to have mentioned the need for Pakistan to review its position on Kulbhushan Jadhav, the Indian spy who remains in Pakistan’s custody, Times of India reported Saturday.
The Indian minister said that for any progress in bilateral relations Pakistan must drop all charges against Jadhav and send him back to India, media reports said. Jadhav’s case is currently being heard by the International Court of Justice which earlier this year stayed his death sentence.
This was Mahmood’s first meeting with a top government functionary after arriving in India. He is expected to meet NSA Ajit Doval and foreign secretary S Jaishankar in the next few days.
It is perhaps significant that days after the meeting – on Diwali – Swaraj announced that India will clear all medical visas sought by Pakistan nationals as a goodwill gesture. “On the auspicious occasion of Deepawali, India will grant medical Visa in all deserving cases pending today,” tweeted Swaraj on Diwali.
Swaraj has also appealed to Islamabad to allow Jadhav’s mother to visit Pakistan and see her son.
