ICJ to take up India's case against death sentence to Kulbushan Jadhav today

ISLAMABAD - The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Monday will hear the India’s case against the death sentence to an Indian spy Kulbushan Jadhav awarded by a Pakistan military court.

After 18 years, India and Pakistan will confront each other in the world court. India has stayed away from the international court and it is only the second time after 1971 that New Delhi has sought the intervention of the judicial arm of the United Nations against Pakistan.

The judicial arm of Netherlands-based ICJ will hear the case at around 1pm Pakistani time in the Great Hall of Justice housed in the Peace Palace in the city of The Hague.

A five-member delegation from Pakistan will be pleading the country’s case in the ICJ, while 13-member team will represent the India.

Pakistan would challenge the jurisdiction of the international court to hear the case and present the arguments in this regard at 6pm.

Both sides will be giving 90 minutes each to make their arguments, while India will start the argument. It is expected that court will take provisional steps in the case.

Court president judge Ronny Abraham of France is expected to hold meeting with the agents or legal representatives of the two countries and decide on the procedural issues such as the time-frame of the case.

RAW agent Kulbushan Jadhav had been awarded death sentence, tweeted ISPR DG Asif Ghafoor on Monday.

“The spy was tried through Field General Court Martial (FGCM) under the Pakistan Army Act (PAA) and awarded the death sentence. Today Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa confirmed his death sentence awarded by FGCM,” the DG ISPR said.

Jadhav was arrested on March 3, 2016 through a counter-intelligence operation in Balochistan’s Mashkel area for his involvement in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan, the statement added.

‘Jadhav was tried by the FGCM under Section 59 of the PAA and Section 3 of the official Secret Act of 1923’ said ISPR.

Jadhav confessed before a magistrate and court that he was tasked by Indian spy agency Research and Analysis wing to plan, coordinate and organise espionage and sabotage activities seeking to destabilise and wage war against Pakistan through impeding the efforts of law enforcement agencies for the restoration of peace in Balochistan and Karachi, the ISPR said.

The accused had been provided with a defending officer as per legal provisions, the ISPR said.