Kulbhushan Jadhav Case: Pakistan to file counter-memorial in ICJ today

Pakistan on Tuesday will file counter-memorial in the International Court of Justice to India’s argument on the conviction of retired naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was sentenced to death in 2017 on the charges of espionage and terrorism.

According to reports, the 400-page response was prepared by a team of legal experts, including attorney general of the nation.

This would be Pakistan’s second rejoinder to India’s last reply on Jadhav’s conviction. After the submission, the UN court will decide the date of hearing the matter, which was likely to be next years.

A Pakistan military court had awarded the death sentence to Jadhav last month for espionage and subversive activities.  Jadhav had been arrested on March 3 last year.

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India had moved to the world court against the death sentence on May 8, alleging the violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations by Pakistan after its 16 requests for consular access were denied.

India, in its appeal to the ICJ, had asserted that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he was involved in business activities after retiring from the Indian Navy. Pakistan, however, claimed that Jadhav had reportedly accepted that he was an Indian spy and was arrested from the country’s territory.