The External Affairs Ministry on Thursday confirmedreceiving a proposal from Pakistan for consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav, anIndian national jailed on false charges in the neighbouring country. Theministry said that the proposal is being evaluated and communication channelswith Pakistan will be maintained through diplomatic routes.

Raveesh Kumar, spokesperson of MEA, said that Pakistan'sproposal for consular access to Kulbhushan is being studied currently and thatan appropriate response would be possible only after. "We have received aproposal from Pakistan. We are evaluating the proposal in the light of ICJjudgement. We will maintain communication with Pakistan in this matter throughdiplomatic channels," he said. "Whatever response is to be sent willbe given by us timely through diplomatic channels."

Earlier in the day, Pakistan said that the proposal had beensent and that it was awaiting India's response. This comes a fortnight afterPakistan was rapped at the International Court of Justice which directedKulbhushan to be given consular access. It has upheld India's claim thatPakistan is in egregious violation of the Vienna Convention on ConsularRelations on several counts by 15-1 votes.

ICJ had also suspended the death sentence given toKulbhushan by a Pakistani military court. This was a massive diplomatic win forIndia and a slap down for Pakistan which claimed that Kulbhushan was a spy.

Kulbhushan, 49, was kidnapped by Pakistani security forcesin March 2016 on false allegations that he had illegally entered the country.On March 25, 2016, the then Foreign Secretary of Pakistan Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhryhad informed the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad of Jadhav`s"arrest." Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military courton April 11, 2017.