Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Indian delegations on Thursday met the International Court of Justice (ICJ) president to discuss a timetable for hearing of the Jadhav case.

According to a press statement issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP), the Pakistani delegation was led by AGP Ashtar Ausaf. Other members of the delegation included Director General for South Asia in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr Muhammad Faisal, Head of International Disputes Unit in the Office of Attorney General Ahmed Irfan Aslam and counsel for Pakistan Khawar Qureshi.

The ICJ registrar and other officials were also present at the meeting. The meeting was aimed to discuss the procedural matters, including the timeline for submissions of written memorials and to list a hearing of the case.

“No discussion on the substance or merits of the case took place during the course of meeting,” the statement said.

The ICJ president sought the views of both the parties about the time required for the submissions of their written pleadings and memorials.

AGP Ashtar Ausaf urged the court to adopt an expedited timetable with a view for an early substantive hearing.

He further informed the ICJ regarding Pakistan’s intentions to appoint an ad-hoc judge to sit on the bench of the court for all the proceedings in the case, including the substantive hearing.

The Indian application had sought release or acquittal of Jadhav. On May 18 2017, Pakistan’s counsel Khawar Qureshi had argued that India could not obtain such relief from the ICJ.

“As has also been explained previously, the court on 18 May 2017 made a procedural order to enable a full hearing to take place. It did not make any findings on jurisdictions on merits. Pakistan’s arguments on jurisdiction and merits will be considered by the court at the full hearing,” stated the press statement.

AGP Ashtar Ausaf said that the government of Pakistan was fully confident that India could never succeed in its application. “India can never obtain acquittal or release of Indian spy commander Jadhav on the basis of its application to the ICJ,” he said.

Sources said that so far Pakistan had not finalised the nomination of the ad-hoc judge in the ICJ. “A name will be proposed before filing written the reply in ICJ,” sources said. The ICJ will announce a timetable for hearing the case shortly.