India on Monday said its national Kulbhushan Jadhav was sentenced to death after a farcical trial by a Pakistani court, following which it had denied consular access to India, in breach of the Vienna Convention.
Advocate Harish Salve, appearing for India at the international court of justice, said Pakistan has no substantive defence in the case and it hasn’t even divulged fundamental details of the so-called offence.
In a closed hearing, a Pakistani military court sentenced Jadhav to death in April 2017 on charges of spying and terrorism. Pakistan claimed that Jadhav was arrested from its restive province Baluchistan in March 2016.
India rejected the claim saying that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran. A former navy officer, Jadhav, India has maintained, had gone to Iran on a business trip.
India is likely to ask the top UN court to direct Pakistan to revoke the death sentence awarded to Jadhav on allegations of espionage.
Salve said since March 30, 2016, India sent 13 reminders for consular access to Jadhav on various dates but received no positive response from Pakistan.
He told the court that Pakistan also didn’t share any details of the investigation and the alleged “confession” was obtained from Jadhav even before registering an FIR.
He said the Pakistani government has used the case as a means of propaganda.
The ICJ has set a four-day hearing schedule beginning Monday for the Kulbhushan Jadhav case.
Pakistan will present its arguments at the ICJ on February 19. India will reply to Pakistan’s argument on February 20. Pakistan will make its closing submission on February 21.
The ICJ is expected to deliver its judgment in summers this year.
First Published: Feb 18, 2019 15:51 IST
Source: HindustanTimes