Kulbhushan Jadhav case: Former CJP Tassaduq Jilani appointed as ad-hoc judge at ICJ

ISLAMABAD: The government has appointed former Chief Justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Jilani as ad-hoc judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to defend Pakistan’s side in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case.

According to details, the decision to appoint former CJP was taken after the consultation with all stakeholders.

PM endorsed the decision by signing the summary, which was sent by the law ministry in regards of appointment of former CJP as ad-hoc judge at ICJ to represent Pakistan.

Under Article 13 of the International Court of Justice, Pakistan can send its ad-hoc judge. The team of lawyers to defend Pakistan’s side was previously led by Justice Khawar Qureshi.

Justice Jillani is a cousin of former foreign secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani. He was nominated to the Lahore High Court bench by former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in 1990s. He also authored the Supreme Court’s judicial anthem and was among those SC judges who had refused to take oath under the PCO on November 3, 2007.

Earlier this month, a high-level meeting was held in Pakistan, along with Attorney General (AG) Ashtar Ausaf Ali, to discuss the further strategy and responses to India’s 22-page report submitted before the ICJ. In the meeting, representatives of the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Law and Justice, as well as other stakeholders, were present.

Jadhav, a 46-year-old retired Indian Navy officer, was captured in Balochistan in March 2016 by Pakistan security forces and tried in a military court which sentenced him to death for espionage and subversive activities. Whereas, India approached the ICJ, a 10-member bench on May 18 restrained Pakistan from executing Mr. Jadhav till adjudication of the case.

The ICJ had asked Pakistan to submit its written response or memorial by December 13 before the court could start further proceedings.