ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday rejected “inaccurate statements” made by the Indian counsel in the Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav case.

Responding to media queries, Foreign Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said: “We firmly reject the Indian counsel’s baseless and inaccurate assertion that Pakistan has not complied with the International Court of Justice’s judgement in the case. Pakistan has fully complied with the judgement and remains committed to continue doing so as the case proceeds further,” she said.

The Foreign Office said in a statement that Pakistan had “noted the statements made in an online lecture on 03 May 2020 by Mr Harish Salve, India’s legal counsel in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case. While suggesting that India may have to go back to International Court of Justice (ICJ), Mr Salve has made certain statements which are contrary to the facts of the case”.

The FO statement said that Pakistan had granted India consular access to Commander Jadhav and was processing measures for effective review and reconsideration of his case as per the guidelines provided by the ICJ in its judgement.

FO says measures are afoot for review of case

“Being a responsible state, Pakistan abides by all its international obligations. It is regrettable that Mr Salve has chosen to make statements which are inaccurate and misrepresent facts,” the statement said.

The ICJ in July last year ruled that Jadhav be allowed consular access immediately and asked Pakistan to ensure effective review and reconsideration of his conviction and sentences. In the meantime, the ICJ rejected other remedies sought by India for Jadhav, who was arrested in a counter-intelligence operation in Balochistan in 2016 for his involvement in espionage and sabotage activities in Pakistan.

The Indian spy was sentenced to death by Field General Court Martial in 2017 after a trial for involvement in espionage and sabotage activities in Karachi and Balochistan. He had been provided with a defending officer as per legal provisions.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2020