Kulbhushan case: Pakistan to submit reply in ICJ tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will submit its reply in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on July 17 (tomorrow) with regard to the case of convicted Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, Geo News reported.

Following Jadhav's arrest and death sentencing by Pakistan in 2016, India had approached the world court to halt his execution. According to diplomatic sources, the reply will be submitted by Foreign Office Director India Dr Fareha Bugti, who has arrived at The Hague for the purpose.

Dr Bugti had also submitted Pakistan's counter-pleading in December last year. The sources said Pakistan’s response contains detailed replies to India’s submissions to the international court.

Pakistan’s 400-page reply — a rejoinder to India's last reply — has been prepared by a team of experts led by the attorney general, the sources said. On April 17 this year, India had submitted its reply to the ICJ after the world court, on January 23, directed India to do so. India had submitted its pleadings to the ICJ on September 13, 2017. The Indian stance was dismissed by Pakistan in its counter-pleadings, which were submitted on December 13 that year.

In its counter-memorial, Pakistan had stated that Jadhav is not an ordinary person as he had entered the country with the intent of spying and carrying out sabotage activities. The reply also stated that Jadhav, who was a serving officer of the Indian Navy, does not fall under the purview of the Vienna Convention.

Commander Jadhav — an on-duty Indian Navy officer working for Indian covert agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) — was arrested on March 3, 2016, from Balochistan, after he entered into Pakistan from Iran. Jadhav was tried in a military court which sentenced him to death for espionage and subversive activities.

In a reaction to the move, Pakistan’s relations with neighbouring India tensed, and New Delhi approached the ICJ to hear the case. India had moved the ICJ to give it six months to file pleadings in the case, which the United Nations’ judicial organ had turned down in June this year.

On May 18, 2017, the ICJ ordered Pakistan to halt the execution of Jadhav until a final decision was made in the proceedings. "Pakistan shall take all measures at its disposal to ensure that Jadhav is not executed pending the final decision in these proceedings," ordered Judge Ronny Abraham, president of the court, as he announced the decision.