Ruling in favour of India, the International Court of Justice has directed Pakistan not to execute Kulbhushan Jadhav, while also granting him consular access. The court also observed that Pakistan had indeed violated the Vienna Convention
Netherlands: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in favour of India with a 15-1 vote and has asked Pakistan to put the execution of Kulbhushan Jadhav on hold. Jadhav has also been given consular access. ICJ rejected every argument put forth by Pakistan and called for a fair trial with respect to this case. The court also observed that Pakistan had indeed violated the Vienna Convention. The verdict came at 6:30 pm today.
The former external affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj, took to Twitter to thank the Prime Minister for taking Jadhav’s case to the ICJ. In her tweet she said, “ I thank the Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi for our initiative to take Jadhav's case before International Court of Justice. /2”
I thank the Prime Minister Shri for our initiative to take Jadhav's case before International Court of Justice. /2
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj)
Swaraj also went ahead to thank the advocate Harish Salve for presenting India’s case before the ICJ.
ANI tweeted, “Reema Omer, International Legal Advisor,South Asia: ICJ has ruled in favour of India on merits, affirming Jadhav’s right to consular access and notification. The court has directed Pakistan to provide effective review and reconsideration of his conviction and sentences (SIC).”
Reema Omer, International Legal Advisor,South Asia: ICJ has ruled in favour of India on merits, affirming Jadhav’s right to consular access and notification. The Court has directed Pakistan to provide effective review and reconsideration of his conviction and sentences pic.twitter.com/Yh3FfDUjbl
— ANI (@ANI)India stated that Pakistan kidnapped Kulbhushan Jadhav from Iran where Jadhav had business interests after he retired from the Indian Navy. However, Pakistan claimed that they arrested Jadhav from restive Balochistan province on March 3, 2016, after he reportedly entered from Iran.
Pakistan had rejected India's plea for consular access to Jadhav at the ICJ, claiming that New Delhi wants the access to get the information gathered by its "spy". However, Pakistan facilitated a meeting of Jadhav with his mother and wife in Islamabad on December 25, 2017.
Earlier, Pakistan released a “confessional video” released by Pakistan. Jadhav is purportedly heard as saying that he was serving the Indian Navy, and that he arrived in Iran in 2003 and started a small business in Chahbahar. India has maintained that Pakistan has been unable to give any clear evidence against Jadhav.
The ministry of external affairs had earlier in 2016 said that the video was doctored and fake and appeared that several parts were spliced together. In one section, Jadhav says he retired in 2002 after the 2001 Parliament attack, later he is seen saying he was due to retire in 2022. While he refers to ‘criminal activity’ in the country, he doesn’t elaborate on it.
According to Pakistan media reports, Jadhav had an Iranian residency permit and that he purportedly had a passport in the name of Hussain Mubarak Patel with Sangli, Maharashtra given as the place of birth.
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