Kulbhushan Jadhav Case: Pakistan to file counter-memorial in ICJ on July 17

Pakistan is set to file its second counter-memorial on July 17 in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the conviction of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadav who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in April 2017 on charges of spying and terrorism, a media report said on Thursday.

The ICJ on January 23 gave a timeline to both India and Pakistan for filing one more round of memorials regarding the case.

Pakistan’s counter-memorial will be in response to pleadings filed by India in the Hague-based ICJ on April 17.

Top attorney Khawar Qureshi, who pleaded Pakistan’s case at the initial stages, briefed PM Nasirul Mulk regarding the case earlier last week, a Pakistani daily reported.

Pakistan’s Attorney General Khalid Javed Khan and other senior officials were also present in the meeting.

The counter-memorial has been drafted by Qureshi, the report stated.

India had moved the ICJ in May 2017, after Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism.

A 10-member bench of the ICJ had stopped Pakistan from executing Jadhav till the final judgement of the case.

Earlier, Pakistan had stated that “since India did not deny that Jadhav was traveling on a passport with an assumed Muslim name, they have no case to plead.”

It also stated that "since Jadhav was on active duty, it is obvious that he was a spy sent on a special mission." 

"Giving false identity to Kulbhushan, sending him for espionage and funding of terrorist activities are all some of the reasons which disentitle India from invoking the jurisdiction of the ICJ," Pakistan had said. 

India has been maintaining that the trial of Jadhav by a military court in Pakistan was "farcical". 

Pakistan claims that its security forces arrested Jadhav from restive Balochistan province on March 3, 2016, after he reportedly entered from Iran. 

However, India maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy. Jadhav's sentencing had evoked a sharp reaction in India. 

India had approached the ICJ for violation of the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963, by Pakistan in Jadhav's case.