The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will announce its verdict in the case of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav on Thursday at 3:30 pm. The case was heard on May 15 where both India and Pakistan presented their sides. India is trying to save former Indian Navy officer from the death sentence pronounced by the military court in Pakistan alleging he was involved in espionage and anti-national activities.
While presenting Kulbhusan Jadhav’s case at ICJ, India had demanded to cancel the death sentence given to him immediately, fearing Pakistan might execute him even before the verdict of ICJ comes out. Senior lawyer and former solicitor general of India Harish Salve presented the case of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav at the ICJ. Harish Salve at ICJ said that chargesheet on Kukbhushan Jadhav was not given to India by Pakistan.
India was denied consular access to Jadhav as many as 14 times. These were on March 30, 2016, May 6, 2016, June 10, 2016, July 11, 2016, July 26, 2016, August 22, 2016, November 3, 2016, December 19, 2016, February 3, 2017, March 3, 2017, March 31, 2017, April 10, 2017, April 14, 2017 and April 19, 2017.
Meanwhile, Pakistan at the ICJ claimed, “India has used this court as the scene of political theatre.” Mohammad Faisal, DG south Asia and SAARC, said. “India has been unable to provide an explanation for Jadhav’s passport which bears a Muslim name.”
Last year in March, Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested for alleged involvement in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan. As per the statement issued by the Pakistani Army, it stated that Kulbhushan Jadhav confessed that he was tasked by Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), to “plan, coordinate and organize espionage/sabotage activities aiming to destabilise and wage war against Pakistan.”
