Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday categorically maintained that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) cannot annul death sentence awarded to Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav by a Field General Court Martial for involvement in espionage and sabotage activities in Karachi and Balochistan.

“Kulbhushan Jhadav confessed before a magistrate and trial court that he was tasked by Indian spy agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) to plan, coordinate and organise espionage and sabotage activities seeking to destabilise and wage war against Pakistan. He has been sentenced to death according to country’s law after completely meeting due process standards,” Sartaj Aziz, adviser to prime minister of foreign affairs, told a select group of journalists at a briefing held at Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In a bid to dispel impression that Pakistan had lost to India in the preliminary hearing of Jadhav case by the ICJ, Aziz said the court has only asked Pakistan to put on hold Jadhav’s execution until it arrives at a decision on India’s petition. “ICJ has always stayed death sentences throughout its history. It is a general trend at ICJ,” he said, and added that the temporary stay order has not changed the status of convicted Indian spy nor the court has issued any order for granting consular access to the convict.

The de facto foreign minister said that by taking Jadhav case to an international forum, India has provided Pakistan an excellent opportunity to expose its reality to the world. “We will expose India at ICJ. We will tell the world how New Delhi is involved in stoking terrorism and instability in our country. In the shape of Jadhav, we have ample evidence against India to prove our case,” he said.

The adviser said Pakistan could have abstained by simply not appearing in the ICJ. “However,” he opined, “Being a responsible member of the United Nations, we decided to show respect for the international court. It’s always better to appear and defend one’s case,” he added.

To a question about former Indian Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju saying that New Delhi’s decision to approach ICJ in Jadhav case was in fact a ‘serious mistake’ since it can create an opening for Pakistan to approach the court on Kashmir dispute, the adviser said that Islamabad can move ICJ over grave human rights violations in the valley. “To raise Kashmir dispute, the appropriate forum is UNSC, not ICJ. However, we can take up human rights dimension of the dispute at the ICJ,” he maintained.

To a question as to why no judge was sent to the ICJ during the preliminary hearing, Aziz said the government could not appoint a judge on a short notice of five days. “However, we will go with a strong team when the hearing formally starts,” he said, and added that different names were being considered for appointment as ad hoc judge.

He also denounced opposition’s criticism on Indian tycoon Jindal’s ‘private meeting’ with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, terming the noise as ‘irresponsible statements’.