Pakistan on Saturday insisted that the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in its ruling, has not ordered it to give consular access to India on the issue of Kulbhushan Jadhav.
Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz told newsmen that Pakistan’s case in the ICJ was very strong regarding merits and jurisdiction.
“The ICJ has only asked Pakistan to keep a stay on Mr. Jadhav’s execution until it arrives at a decision and it has not decided on consular access and only intimated that the matter will come under discussion,” he claimed.
Mr. Aziz reiterated that Mr. Jadhav was in fact an officer in the Indian Navy, who had also admitted to carrying out espionage activities in Pakistan.
Responding to questions on the legal team representing Pakistan, Mr. Aziz said the country would further strengthen its legal team and that it would go forward into the case with full preparation.
“India’s view that it has won this case is only temporary because our position will only strengthen on the matter of jurisdiction and merit,” he told reporters.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar said in Peshawar that Mr. Jadhav was convicted by a Pakistani court after it was established that he was a terrorist, spy and RAW agent, who was involved in terror activities in Pakistan.
“Had Mr. Jadhav not been arrested, he would have spread more destruction and terrorism in Pakistan,” the Minister said.
Mr. Nisar pointed out that it was India, not Pakistan, which had approached the ICJ and added they would deal with Mr. Jadhav under Pakistani law.
A-G gets brief
Pakistani Attorney-General Ashtar Ausaf Ali would now represent the country at the ICJ, a media report said on Saturday.
Earlier, Khawar Qureshi represented Pakistan. It is not known if Mr. Qureshi will remain in the team.
