The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday summoned Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner Syed Haidar Shah to discuss the row around former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, reported ANI. The ministry reiterated its stand that Jadhav was innocent and was being framed by Islamabad.

The MEA has again demanded consular access to Jadhav. It also reminded Shah that denying consular access would amount to violating provisions of the international law, according to Hindustan Times. On Monday, the Pakistani Army had said it had denied consular access to Jadhav, who was sentenced to death by a military court on April 10. However, Indian authorities have maintained that there was no official communication from Islamabad in this regard. So far, India has made 14 such requests.

New Delhi has maintained that it will treat Jadhav’s sentencing as murder if Islamabad goes ahead with the execution. “The way in which the verdict has been given by the [Pakistani] Army court is not transparent and not in accordance with bilateral relations between the two nations,” Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre had said.

On Monday, the Allahabad High Court had said it was the government’s “moral and constitutional responsibility” to bring Jadhav back. The Lucknow bench, while hearing a Public Interest Litigation on the matter, asked the Centre what steps it had taken so far.

Pakistan had arrested Jadhav in March 2016 on accusations of having entered the country through Iran and helping Baloch separatists, while working for India’s intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing. Jadhav was charged with terrorism, sabotage and violating the country’s Foreigner Act. After his arrest, the Pakistani Army had released what they claimed was a “confessional video”.