Pakistan on Friday filed a plea in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to rehear, within six weeks, the case of the alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on April 10 on charges of spying and terrorism. The ICJ had on Thursday stayed the execution of Mr. Jadhav, 46, considered to be a spy by Pakistan.
TV channel Dunya News said Pakistan was set to challenge the jurisdiction of the ICJ. Pakistan will constitute a new team of lawyers to “vigorously” present its case against Jadhav , the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said on Friday. The announcement by Mr. Aziz came amid criticism by experts and opposition leaders over the Pakistan Foreign Office’s “poor handling” of the case at the ICJ. The Pakistan government also faced flak for its choice of U.K.-based Khawar Qureshi, who represented Pakistan’s case before the ICJ. Mr. Aziz, however, maintained that Mr. Qureshi had “courageously” presented Pakistan’s case in the court, The Nation reported.
Challenge sentence
According to law, Jadhav can challenge his death sentence in an appellate court till the end of Saturday. Within 60 days of the verdict of the appellate court, the inmate can make a clemency appeal to the Chief of the Pakistan Army, Dunya News said.
A death row inmate is also permitted to make a final clemency appeal to the Pakistan President within 90 days of the Army chief’s order.
The ICJ asked Pakistan to take “all measures” to ensure that Mr. Jadhav was not executed till the court delivered its final verdict.
While India may have been given a breather by the ICJ in the Jadhav case, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said, “As of today, the Pakistan government has not provided any information about Jadhav’s condition or where he has been kept there. This has been a matter of concern.”
(With PTI inputs)
