Pakistan to present strong case against Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav: Qureshi

 

MANCHESTER: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Thursday said Pakistan will present a strong case against Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at a hearing scheduled for later this month.

Addressing a reception in Manchester, Qureshi said, “Pakistan has all the evidence against Jadhav of sabotage activities inside Pakistan. Jadhav has admitted to being involved in such activities.”

“Pakistan's legal team will present its stance in the case at The Hague on the 19th of this month,” he added.

The ICJ, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, will hold public hearings in the Jadhav case from February 18 to 21 at the Peace Palace in The Hague.

India had moved the ICJ against the case, after Jadhav — an on-duty Indian navy officer — was arrested and sentenced to death by Pakistan for espionage and subversive activities last year.

India had submitted its pleadings to the ICJ on September 13, 2017. The Indian stance was dismissed by Pakistan in its counter-pleadings,

In its counter-memorial, Pakistan had stated that Jadhav is not an ordinary person as he had entered the country with the intent of spying and carrying out sabotage activities.

The reply also stated that Jadhav, who was a serving officer of the Indian Navy, does not fall under the purview of the Vienna Convention.

Who is Kulbhushan Jadhav?

Commander Jadhav — an Indian Navy officer working for Indian covert agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) — was arrested on March 3, 2016, from Balochistan after he entered into Pakistan from Iran.

Jadhav was tried in a military court which sentenced him to death for espionage and subversive activities.

In a reaction to the move, Pakistan’s relations with neighbouring India tensed, and New Delhi approached the ICJ to hear the case.

On May 18, 2017, the ICJ ordered Pakistan to halt the execution of Jadhav until a final decision was made in the proceedings.