China and the United States were headed for a major diplomatic confrontation as Washington on Wednesday ordered the closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston, a move it said was aimed 'to protect American intellectual property and private information', hinting at cyber espionage.
Regular visa, e-visa or stay stipulation, of such foreign nationals who have been stranded in India because of spread of COVID-19 in many parts of the world and also due to travel restrictions imposed by Indian authorities, and whose visas have expired or would be expiring during the period from February 1 midnight to May 3 midnight, would be extended till midnight of May 3 on 'Gratis' basis, after online application by the foreigner, the statement said.
Earlier, the government had extended the regular and e-visa of those foreigners who are currently in India and unable to leave the country due to the outbreak of coronavirus, till April 15.
Jadhav, the 50-year-old retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of 'espionage and terrorism' in April 2017. Weeks later, India approached the ICJ against Pakistan for denial of consular access to Jadhav and challenging the death sentence.
Such criticism by China of a foreign government official, particularly of a major power like the US, is very unusual. It is clear that China will come under increasing pressure certainly till the US presidential elections are held, observes former senior RA&W officer and China expert Jayadeva Ranade.
The Ministry of External Affairs said the Charge d' Affaires of Pakistan High Commission was summoned and informed about the decision which was based on instances of involvement of Pakistani officials in 'acts of espionage' and 'dealings with terrorist organisations'. The activities of the two Pakistani mission officials caught red-handed and expelled on 31 May 2020 was one example in that regard, MEA said in a statement.
India also refutes Pak's claim of visa review for Jadhav's mother.
Pakistan FO said that it was "travesty of logic" to link the case of Jadhav with civilian prisoners
Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said Pakistan and India have a bilateral agreement on consular access but all cases have to be decided on merit.
"Under the law we cannot give consular access to Khubhushan who was involved in spying," Pakistan Military spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor told reporters.
Abrahams was among a group of MPs who issued formal letters following the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 in August last year.
Cruise ship Diamond Princess, carrying 3,711 people, arrived at the Japanese coast early last week and was quarantined after a passenger who de-boarded last month in Hong Kong was found to be the carrier of the novel virus on the ship. Around 60 people tested positive of the virus on Monday, taking the total number of those infected on the ship to 130.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Thursday rejected alleged bookie Sanjeev Chawla's application for an interim measure on human rights grounds to block his extradition from the UK to face match-fixing charges in India. The legal paperwork process for his extradition will now go ahead through the UK Central Authority, for Scotland Yard officers to hand Chawla over to their counterparts from Delhi Police to be flown back to Indian within days.
Salve was the lead counsel for India in the Jadhav case at the International Court of Justice which had last year ruled that Pakistan must review the death sentence awarded to the retired naval officer after a closed trial.
Aziz said that when it comes to cases involving the death penalty, the international court has always given a stay order.
Ghafoor said the reports of the amendment in the Pak Army Act to implement ICJ verdict regarding Jadhav are 'incorrect'.
Dentist Puneet Mehra, 35, said that the Indian Embassy in Beijing informed him on Monday that the transportation of his mother's body has got delayed in view of the restrictions on movement of people and vehicles in China after the outbreak of coronavirus epidemic in the neighbouring country.
In 2016, there were 580,000 Indians in the US as resident non-immigrant. Of these, 440,000 were temporary workers, which includes those on H-1B visas and 140,000 were students.
According to NIA sources, Ali's request has been forwarded to the ministry of external affairs from where it will be sent to Pakistan's High Commissioner Abdul Basit.
"We will decide a further course of action after receiving a detailed report from our Charge d' Affaires and determining the extent of conformity to the ICJ directives," said the MEA spokesperson.
Jadhav, a retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April 2017. Weeks later, India approached the ICJ against Pakistan for denial of consular access to Jadhav and to challenge the death sentence.
'An in-principle decision has been taken to take the issue of Kashmir to the International Court of Justice'
India had sought consular access to Jadhav.
Hamid Nihal Ansari, a software engineer from Mumbai, returned to India in December 2018 after spending six years in a Pakistani jail for illegally entering the neighbouring country from Afghanistan, reportedly to meet a girl he had befriended online. He was arrested in 2012 and lodged at Peshawar jail after Pakistan had slapped espionage charges against him. The decision to release him was on account of relentless pressure from New Delhi and Sushma Swaraj, who was the external affairs minister and was personally monitoring the case. Speaking to Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com, Ansari recalls the time he spent with her and says that if it wasn't for her efforts, he would still be rotting away in a Pakistani cell.
Police said the accused, identified as Raju Lakshman, was arrested on Wednesday from Rakhi Gaj area of Dera Ghazi Khan district, some 400-km from Lahore.
The External Affairs Ministry said the 'landmark judgment' validated India's position on the matter 'fully' and asked Pakistan to implement the directive of the ICJ immediately.
The statement claimed that the Hague-based ICJ in its judgment did not accept India's plea to 'acquit/release' Jadhav.
There were cheers of joy and sighs of relief as Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, ICJ president, read out the court's decision.
People in Jadhav's native Javli village in Satara district condemned Pakistan and demanded immediate release of the retired Indian Navy officer sentenced to death by a Pakistan army court on alleged 'espionage' charges.
India based its case on two broad issues -- breach of Vienna Convention on consular access and the process of resolution.
Yusuf elaborated on several aspects of the Court's ruling in Jadhav's case while presenting his report to the General Assembly.
India approached the ICJ in May 2017 against Pakistan for denying consular access to Jadhav.
The MEA asserted Pakistan's efforts to link peace deal with Kashmir issue have not worked.
The former finance minister said that Pakistan "lost conclusively" before the world court and termed the sentencing by the military court to Jadhav as a "farcical processes".
The World Court had, on Wednesday, ordered Pakistan not to execute Kulbhushan Jadhav and had directed "effective review and reconsideration" of his conviction and death sentence by a military court.
In a major victory for India, the International Court of Justice on Wednesday ruled that Pakistan must review the death sentence for Jadhav.
India on Wednesday hailed the verdict of the International Court of Justice in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case
Salve said it is important to be 'positive' after such a positive ruling.
Following is the timeline of the Kulbhushan Jadhav case.
Underworld don Chhota Rajan, who was arrested on arrival from Australia, on Sunday received consular access with an Indian diplomat.
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