Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday appreciated the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) decision "not to acquit, release and return" Kulbhushan Jadhav — a serving commander of the Indian Navy associated with Indian spy agency Research and Analysis Wing — a day after the court announced its verdict in the case.

Read: ICJ rejects India’s plea for Jadhav's return, grants consular access

In its verdict, the ICJ ruled that Jadhav be allowed consular access immediately and asked Pakistan to ensure “effective review and reconsideration of his conviction and sentences”.

In a post shared on Twitter, Prime Minister Imran said: "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," the premier added.

Earlier, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also welcomed the ICJ's verdict.

In a post shared on Twitter, Modi congratulated the ICJ for the verdict, adding: "Truth and justice have prevailed."

"I am sure Kulbhushan Jadhav will get justice," he said.

'Big victory for Pakistan'

Following the verdict, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor, while speaking to ARY News on Wednesday night, congratulated the nation on "the success achieved" and lauded the efforts made by the legal team and the Foreign Office which represented Pakistan.

"For the verdict to be upheld by an international court where there is no concept of capital punishment is a big victory for Pakistan.

"And for them to say that the review and reconsideration can be done by means of our own choosing is great validation for our judicial system," he said.

"Pakistan will follow the law," he said, reiterating Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi's statement on the way forward in the case.

"It's another Feb 27 for India; they have been surprised again. They thought that the kind of political capital they have, they can manipulate justice too but that did not happen," said Maj Gen Ghafoor.

He went on to say that India's "false narratives continue" and that "after this verdict they are practically certified to have undertaken state-sponsored terrorism and the world has seen what their role in Pakistan has been."