New Delhi: Presenting its arguments at the International Court of Justice in the Hague, Pakistan on Monday sought the cancellation of India's appeal in the Kulbhsuhan Jadhav case.
Pakistani representative Khawar Qureshi said that India's request was "unnecessary and misconceived" and must be dismissed because "relief sought by India is manifestly unavailable, and the jurisdiction is limited."
Hours after India's counsel presented his arguments, Pakistan put forth its case, questioning India's silence over Jadhav's passport - bearing a Muslim name.
Pakistan also alleged that India was using the ICJ as a "scene of political theatre" and was using media to drum up the support for the "spy", recognised by India as a Mumbai-based businessman.
Earlier in the day, Harish Salve, India's lead attorney, called the trial conducted by Pakistan "farcical" and the one without a "shred of evidence".
Pakistan had denied India its 16 requests for consular access, India's lead attorney Harish Salve said. The urgent hearing comes after the ICJ last week stayed Jadhav's execution. While India presented its argument over 90 minutes, Pakistan, which claims that Jadhav is an agent of India's external intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), took less than an hour.
Jadhav, the latest flashpoint in the tensions between Pakistan and India, was sentenced last month. On May 8, India moved the ICJ against the death penalty, alleging violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. On May 9, the highest court in the UN gave Jadhav a lease of life.
India, in its appeal to the ICJ, had asserted that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he was involved in business activities after retiring from the Indian Navy. However, it denies that he has any connection with the government. Pakistan claims to have arrested Jadhav from its restive Balochistan province.
(with inputs from PTI)
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