International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Hague will begin hearing on Monday India’s appeal against the death sentence to its national Kulbhushan Jadhav by a military court in Pakistan for alleged espionage and subversion. The ICJ had on Tuesday stayed the execution of Mr Jadhav in an urgent communication to the president of Pakistan.
New Delhi said yesterday that it approached the ICJ as Kulbhushan Jadhav is in illegal detention in Pakistan and his life is under threat. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Gopal Baglay said, the decision was taken in the case after careful deliberations. He said India made 16 requests for consular access to Mr Jadhav but there was no response from Pakistan. Islamabad has also not responded to India’s request for papers relating to Mr Jadhav’s case.
The spokesperson said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had written to Pakistan Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz on 27th April, requesting visa for Jadhav’s family. But there is no response from Pakistan in this regard.
