Indian stand vindicated in Jadhav verdict, says MEA, terms Hafiz Saeed's arrest a 'drama'

A day after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered review of death penalty to Kulbhushan Jadhav, a retired Indian Navy officer, India on Thursday said the verdict was a complete vindication of its stand and it is incumbent on Pakistan to implement the ruling. In a major victory for India, the ICJ on Wednesday ruled that Pakistan must review the death sentence awarded to Jadhav and asked it to provide consular access to him. Jadhav, 49, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of "espionage and terrorism" after a closed trial in April 2017.

"The ICJ judgement is a complete vindication of India's position on the matter," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said at a press conference in Delhi.

On Pakistan’s claim that they had won the Kulbhushan Jadhav verdict at ICJ, Kumar said, "Frankly, it seems to me they're reading from a different verdict. Main verdict is in 42 pages, if there is no patience to go through 42 pages, they should go through 7-pages Press Release, where every point is in India's favour".

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"Pakistan has its own compulsions to lie to its people," he added. It is incumbent on Pakistan to implement the verdict, Kumar stated, adding that the ICJ judgement is final, binding and without the provision of appeal.

Raveesh Kumar, MEA, on claims in Pakistan that they have won (#KulbhushanJadhavVerdict): I think they have their own compulsions, as to why they have to lie to their own people. https://t.co/Oq0xYyYh8e

— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2019

Coming down heavily on Pakistan over its "drama" regarding Mumbai terror attack mastermind and JuD chief Hafiz Saeed’s arrest, Kumar said, "It has been happening for a long time - arrest-release, arrest-release. After every major terror incident in India, he has been arrested and then released on some grounds or other. This drama, to my count, has happened over 8 times since '01".

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"The question is whether this time it will be more than a cosmetic step, whether Hafiz Saeed will be tried and sentenced for his terrorist activities. We hope that this time Hafiz Saeed will be brought to justice," the MEA spokesperson said.

Raveesh Kumar, MEA, on Pakistan arrests Hafiz Saeed: The question is whether this time it will be more than a cosmetic step, whether Hafiz Saeed will be tried & sentenced for his terrorist activities. We hope that this time Hafiz Saeed will be brought to justice https://t.co/hd1VgiPQ5v

— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2019

Saeed, a UN designated terrorist whom the US has placed a USD 10 million bounty on, was arrested on terror financing charges by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab Province, while he was travelling to Gujranwala from Lahore to get pre-arrest bail on Wednesday. The development comes just days ahead of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's maiden visit to the US.