India Thursday asked Pakistan to immediately grant consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav in sync with the verdict of the International Court of Justice and asserted that the ruling in the case by the world court is a complete vindication of its stand.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar alsoslammed Pakistan for claiming victory in the case saying Islamabad has its owncompulsions to “lie” to its people.
“The ICJ judgement is a complete vindication and validationof India’s position in this case,” he told a weekly media briefing, stronglyrejecting Pakistan’s claim of victory in the case.
Jadhav, 49, a retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced todeath by a Pakistani military court on charges of “espionage and terrorism”after a closed trial in April 2017.
India had approached the ICJ against the military court’sdecision in May, 2017 and the world court stayed his execution then.
Rejecting Pakistan’s objection to admissibility of theIndian application in the case, the court in its 42-page order held that “acontinued stay of execution constitutes an indispensable condition for theeffective review” of the sentence of Jadhav.
The bench, however, rejected some remedies sought by India,including annulment of the military court’s decision convicting Jadhav, hisrelease and safe passage to India.
The ICJ, by a vote of 15-1, upheld India’s stand thatPakistan is in egregious violation of the Vienna Convention on ConsularRelations, 1963 on several counts in the case.
It asked Pakistan to provide consular access to Jadhavwithout further delay, besides ensuring an effective review of the case whileextending the stay on his execution.
“Pakistan has been asked to provide consular access toJadhav and they have to do it,” Kumar said.
He said the ICJ press release on the verdict in the casementioned eight points and all the points reflected that the verdict has gonein favour of India.
“Frankly, it seems to me they (Pakistan) are reading from acompletely different verdict. The main verdict is of 42 pages. If there is nopatience to go through 42 pages, they should go through the press release,where each and every point is in favour of India,” said Kumar, referring toPakistan’s claim of victory.
Asked what will happen if Pakistan does not comply with thecourt order, he said the ICJ clearly mentioned that the “judgement is final,binding and without appeal”.
He said Pakistan is obliged to act on the directive of theICJ as it is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations and the verdictis binding on Islamabad.
“Pakistan should take all measures to provide for effectivereview and reconsideration of the conviction and sentencing of Jadhav. Thisshould include enacting appropriate legislation,” Kumar said.Asked whether India will make a fresh requestfor consular access to Jadhav, he said nothing new will be done now as previousrequests for consular access were pending with that country.