No ICJ pressure on Jadev: sources

Indian opinion-making circles and proactive Indian propagandists are engaged in giving a spin to the latest goodwill gesture given by the Government of Pakistan, offering Indian spy Kulbushan Jadev's wife access to the 'espionage-and-sabotage culprit' on humanitarian grounds.

Talking to The News in an off-the-record talk, Pakistani officials, representing the Defence Ministry, with the concurrence of Ministry Foreign Affairs, stated that the twist is being given without any substance that Islamabad has permitted Kulbhushan's wife access "since Pakistan is under pressure from International Court of Justice (ICJ)".

The facts are just the other way round, according to these sources which add: " There is neither any pressure from ICJ nor Pakistan takes any such pressure. This reality is known to the entire world that Pakistan is a sovereign country, pursuing an independent foreign policy and the country's leadership takes decisions within the framework of its vital national interests. Secondly, Pakistan proceeded against Kulbushan on the basis of solid, incriminating evidence.

Even the authentic copies of Kulbushan Jadev's LPC (Last Pay Certificate) and record of his movements and latest accommodation and other moves was obtained with painstaking efforts and through reliable connectivity, by Pakistan's intelligence setups. Why then should we come under pressure without any reason or rhyme", asserted the sources further.  

The sources continued, "More so, no such orders or directions have been given by ICJ and that Pakistan still believes that in the given factual situation, Kulbhushan was not entitled to any consular access but the permission to his wife is being given only on compassionate, humanitarian grounds which are fundamentally embedded in Islamic jurisprudence."