New Delhi: A secret attempt by Pakistan to prosecute former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav on charges of terrorism failed due to lack of evidence, according to a report in 'Firstpost'.
Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, Pakistan’s nominee at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that heard Jadhav's case, debunked the claims by his own country that the Indian national had been found guilty of terrorism.
The revelation comes a day after the ICJ in its ruling directed Pakistan to maintain a stay on the death sentence awarded to Jadhav. The tribunal said that India should be given consular access to its national, asking Pakistan to effectively review and reconsider its decision.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with a host of other ministers and opposition leaders, had hailed the ICJ judgment, saying that "truth and justice" had prevailed.
The judgement states that Pakistan had initiated two cases against Jadhav — one for espionage and the other under laws of anti-terrorism laws. “With regard to the espionage case, Pakistan had enough evidence to try and convict Mr Jadhav, which it did in accordance with the laws of Pakistan. Due to the fact that India has not co-operated, Mr Jadhav’s trial under the terrorism offences has not proceeded,” reads the judgement.
Justice Jillani argued that if Pakistan was making up false charges and arbitrarily punishing and sentencing Jadhav, “the Pakistani courts would have found him guilty of the various terrorism offences he had himself confessed to being involved in”.
The judge's disclosure rejects earlier allegations by Pakistani officials that Jadhav was a terrorist and a spy.
The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday called upon Pakistan to follow the tribunal's orders. “Pakistan is under obligation to provide Indian officials consular access. We expect Pakistan to do so. There is nothing else that is required. They are expected to do it themselves,” MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said at a weekly briefing.
Adding that the ICJ judgement is final and binding, Kumar rubbished Pakistani claims of victory and said they were reading a completely different verdict.
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