ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan said he appreciated the decision of the International Court of Justice to neither acquit nor release Indian spy Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav in relation to the espionage case.
On July 17, the ICJ found that India’s submission pertaining to the acquittal and release of Kulbhushan Jadhav could not be upheld.
PM Imran posted on Twitter about the ICJ decision on Indian spy Jadhav, saying he was guilty of crimes against the people of Pakistan and the country will proceed as per the law in this regard.
“Appreciate ICJ’s decision not to acquit, release & return Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav to India. He is guilty of crimes against the people of Pakistan. Pakistan shall proceed further as per law.”
According to the ICJ, the conviction and sentence of Kulbhushan Jadhav were not to be regarded as a violation of Article 36 of the Vienna Convention.
“As regards India’s claim based on the Vienna Convention, the Court considers that it is not the conviction and sentence of Mr. Jadhav which are to be regarded as a violation of the provisions of the Vienna Convention,” read the verdict.
The ICJ allowed India consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav and called on Pakistan to review and reconsider his conviction and sentence.
Commander Jadhav — an Indian Navy officer working for Indian covert agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) — was arrested on March 3, 2016, from Balochistan after he entered into Pakistan from Iran.
Jadhav was tried in a military court which sentenced him to death for espionage and subversive activities.
In a reaction to the move, Pakistan’s relations with neighbouring India tensed, and New Delhi approached the ICJ to hear the case.
On May 18, 2017, the ICJ ordered Pakistan to halt the execution of Jadhav until a final decision was made in the proceedings.
