Kulbhushan Jadhav case: Pakistan Senate to debate ICJ verdict

Pakistan's Senate on Monday decided to debate the International Court of Justice (ICJ) order staying the execution of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav after a senator of a hardline party tabled a motion saying the verdict hinted that Islamabad was not fully prepared to fight the case.

Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani admitted the adjournment motion by Jamaat-I-Islami Senator Sirajul Haq for regular debate and issued notices to the foreign ministry and the attorney general to brief the upper house of the parliament.

Haq made a forceful plea in the Senate about his motion, saying the judgment by the ICJ at The Hague to stay Jadhav's death sentence hinted that Pakistan was not well-prepared to fight the case brought by India.

"These and similar statements have been passed around, which are creating confusion," Haq said.

On May 18, the ICJ in a setback to Pakistan restrained it from executing Jadhav, 46, who was convicted of espionage and sentenced to death by a Pakistan military court after a secret trial.

India took the matter to the ICJ, citing that it had been repeatedly denied consular access to Jadhav in violation of the provisions of the Vienna Convention. New Delhi believes that Jadhav was abducted from Iran and brought to Pakistan.

The senator said Pakistan did not act according to the expectations and steps taken by it in the case has only caused embarrassment to the nation.

Though Jadhav's arrest was a major success, Haq said, Pakistan wasted an opportunity to bring forth the facts about the Indian national and India's subversive activities inside the country on the international stage.

He also said India has adopted aggressive attitude after Jadhav's sentencing. "India is constantly issuing threats to Pakistan regarding Jadhav's case.
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Will Pakistan risk overruling ICJ's order in Kulbhushan Jadhav case?

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Islamabad will overrule the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) order to suspend the execution of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was sentenced to death by a military court, Pakistan's local media reports said.

According to Pakistan's local media reports, the Attorney General of Pakistan "was briefed on the issue on Friday and according to sources, Pakistan will deny jurisdiction of International Court of Justice (ICJ) over cases that have national stability at stake."

Earlier, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, sent an urgent communication to Pakistan from the office of its President under Article 74 for Islamabad and New Delhi's cooperation till a decision is reached on the death sentence case of former Indian naval officer and alleged spy Khulbhushan Jadhav.

Judge Ronny Abraham, the President of the ICJ, forwarded the urgent communication to both Pakistan and India .

ICJ President Judge Abraham in his letter to Pakistan Prime MInister Nawaz Sharif, said, " In my capacity as President of the Court, and exercising the powers conferred upon me under Article 74 , Paragraph 4, of the rules, I call upon the parties concerned ie. Your Excellency's Government , pending the court's decision on the request for provisional measures, to act in such a way as will enable any order the court may make on this request to have its appropriate effects."

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will be holding public hearings in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case on May 15. Indian lawyer Harish Salve will argue the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav on New Delhi's behalf.

Pakistan was caught by surprise when India move swiftly to ICJ and Islamabad received a midnight order that stayed the execution of Jadhav.
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