Pakistan has yet again clarified that it won’t acknowledge India’s request of having a foreign lawyer to represent Kulbhushan Jadhav in the review and revaluation case being heard at the Islamabad High Court (IHC), which results in leaving his fate in the hands of the Pakistani courts.
While answering to an inquiry whether or not Jadhav would be executed by Pakistan, Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, Foreign Office representative, responded at a weekly media briefing: Pakistan being a responsible member of the International community is fully cognizant of its obligation to comply with the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) decision.
He further included: I cannot predict what the decision in the matter would be, but effective review and reconsideration in the case can only be provided by Courts in Pakistan.
Explaining more about the details and procedures of the case, Chaudri said Jadhav admitted to his inclusion in terrorist exercises in Pakistan.
He continued: When Commander Jadhav was arrested in Pakistan, he confessed his involvement in terrorist activities in Pakistan during the investigation. India took the issue to grant of consular access to Commander Jadhav to the ICJ. In the judgment, the ICJ asked of four things; to notify Commander Jadhav of his privileges under the Vienna Convention; to give consular admittance to him through Indian consular authority; to accommodate viable survey and re-examination of his conviction and to remain the execution till a successful audit and revaluation were given.
The representative included: Pakistan has been complying with all of these.
Chaudhri criticised India for deciding to make all potential preventions in its efforts to frustrate Pakistan’s efforts for implementation of the ICJ judgment and use Jadhav’s case as a propaganda tool against Pakistan.
Discussing New Delhi’s interest for having an Indian or a foreign attorney to represent Jadhav, Chaudhri said that it has been conveyed to India over and again that solely those lawyers can speak to Commander Jadhav in the Court who have the license to practice law in Pakistan.
He stated: This is in accordance with legal practice in order jurisdiction as well. Indian Supreme Court, in one of its judgments, has also ruled that foreign lawyers cannot practice law within the country.
The representative furthermore called on the Indian government to approach and help out the Courts in Pakistan, to offer effect to the judgment of ICJ, including that it is simply the Pakistan government who has moved toward the Islamabad High Court for Jadhav’s situation.
with IANSinput
