ICJ has no jurisdiction over national security matters: FO

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office Spokesman Nafees Zakaria said on Thursday that no institution can be a party when it comes to the country’s national security, shortly after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Pakistan to halt the execution of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav until a final decision is reached.

The FO spokesman said that the decision to challenge the jurisdiction of the ICJ was taken after consultation with all the institutions and agencies.

The FO has also requested access to Indian spy Jadhav’s accomplices. Zakaria said that India did not give a positive response to Pakistan’s request regarding access to Jadhav’s accomplices.

The spokesman pointed out that there exists a bilateral pact on consular access between the two countries since 2008.

Zakaria said that according to the pact’s Article six, the matter of consular access lies solely on the merit of the case.

‘India trying to portray Jadhav's sentencing as humanitarian issue’

Zakaria said India weaved a humanitarian angle in the Indian-spy Kulbushan Jadhav’s case to divert the world's attention from his real actions: fomenting terrorism inside Pakistan.  

"After India stood exposed in state-sponsored terrorism and financing terrorism, it tried to divert attention from presenting the Kulbushan Jadhav case with a humanitarian angle,” he said.  

He also said that Pakistan’s stance on the RAW agent is very clear: It is a matter of national security and we will not compromise on it.

Talking about the Jadhav case at the International Court of Justice, he said Pakistan’s reply [to the court] was submitted in line with Article 36 of the Vienna Convention, explaining that Pakistan, in some issues, does not recognise the jurisdiction of the ICJ.

He also said that the situation of human rights in the Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK) is deplorable.  

Extremist organisation RSS tried its best to suppress the voice of people in IoK, he remarked, adding that Pakistan condemns the Indian massacre of innocent Kashmiris.

India has also closed down about 36 television channels in IoK to suppress the voice of the people, he claimed. "The international community needs to play an important role in solving the Kashmir issue," he urged.

On the issue, Prime Minister's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has sent a letter to the UN secretary-general exposing atrocities in IoK, he explained.   

He also expressed concern over the arrests of freedom leaders in IoK, adding that Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani was not even given permission to seek medical treatment.  

Speaking about the situation on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, he remarked that the border cannot be opened till the situation is completely resolved. He stressed that Afghanistan should initiate peace talks with Pakistan.

On Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's visit to China, he remarked that the trip was quite successful. The premier held meetings with top leaders in China and met the presidents of Russia and Turkey.