Why did PM hug Sharif amid Jadhav row: AAP on Centre's 'dual policy' with Pak

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday attacked the Centre over the release of 11 Pakistani civilians, saying the government is following a dual policy towards Pakistan.

Senior party leader Ashutosh said the one hand, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj says there cannot be talks with Pakistan alongside terror and on the other hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi embraces his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif.

He was referring to the interaction between the two premiers at Astana in Kazakhstan.

"What was the pressing need that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to embrace Sharif. Pakistan is preparing to hang Kulbhushan Jadhav and India is releasing 11 of their citizens," Ashutosh said.

Jadhav was sentenced to death on April 10 by a Pakistan military court for alleged espionage.

India maintains that Jadhav, a former naval officer, was kidnapped from Iran and brought to Pakistan by its security agencies.

Sharif and Modi had last week met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation (SCO) meeting.