Pak files second counter-memorial on Jadhav’s case in ICJ

Islamabad :Pakistan filed its second written reply to India’s arguments in the International Court of Justice on the conviction of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism.
The ICJ on January 23 gave a timeline to both Pakistan and India for filing another round of memorials in the case.
Foreign Office Director General for India Dr Fareeha Bugti submitted the second reply today, Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said.
“Director India Dr Fareha Bugti submitted the dossier, along with Waseem Shahzad, an officer of the Embassy of Pakistan in The Hague,” he said.
Pakistan in its rejoinder, gave detailed answers to India’s submissions to the international court, the spokesperson said, adding that Pakistan also responded to Indian objections in over 400 pages reply.
Pakistan’s counter-memorial was in response to pleadings filed by India in the Hague-based ICJ on April 17.
The ICJ will now fix the matter for hearing.
India had moved the ICJ in May last year after Jadhav, 48, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism.
A 10-member bench of the ICJ on May 18, 2017 had restrained Pakistan from executing Jadhav till adjudication of the case.
In its written pleadings, India had accused Pakistan of violating the Vienna Convention by not giving consular access to Jadhav arguing that the convention did not say that such access would not be available to an individual arrested on espionage charges.
In response, Pakistan through its counter-memorial on December 13 told the ICJ that the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963 applied only to legitimate visitors and did not cover clandestine operations.
Pakistan had said that ‘since India did not deny that Jadhav was travelling on a passport with an assumed Muslim name, they have no case to plead’.
Pakistan said that India did not explain how ‘a serving naval commander’ was travelling under an assumed name. It also stated that ‘since Jadhav was on active duty, it is obvious that he was a spy sent on a special mission’.
India has been maintaining that the trial of Jadhav by a military court in Pakistan was ‘farcical’.
Pakistan claims that its security forces arrested Jadhav from restive Balochistan province on March 3, 2016 after he reportedly entered from Iran.
However, India maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy.
Jadhav’s sentencing had evoked a sharp reaction in India.