Kulbhushan Jadhav case: Pakistan receives India's pleadings to ICJ

Lahore [Pakistan], September 15 (ANI): The Pakistan Foreign Office on Friday said that it had received India's written pleadings to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in connection with case of Kulbhushan Jadhav, a retired Indian navy officer sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged espionage.

According to a June 13 order, the ICJ, principal judicial organ of the United Nations, Pakistan has to submit a counter-memorial on December 13 .

India has submitted its Memorial (written pleadings) on Wednesday to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the regard.

The ICJ has suspended the death sentence of Jadhav after India moved the court in May, requesting immediate suspension of the death sentence.

The Foreign Office spokesperson said a legal team headed by the Attorney General of Pakistan was examining the memorial and that Pakistan would submit its response to the court in December this year.

Earlier, in its arguments before the court on May 15, India had expressed its fear that Pakistan could execute Jadhav even before the court gave its verdict.

Pakistan had rejected India's request for consular access 18 times, which is a violation of the Vienna Convention.

"The position of the Government of Pakistan, especially highlighting the acts of espionage, terrorism and sabotage committed by Commander Jadhav in Pakistan, which resulted in the loss of many precious and innocent lives of Pakistanis, would soon be submitted at the International Court of Justice," the Express Tribune quoted a statement issued by Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson .

Indian has accused Islamabad of violating the Vienna Convention by failing to provide him with consular access and for being in breach of international human rights law.

New Delhi also appealed the court to impose emergency measures for Jadhav's execution to be suspended until the legal battle in the Hague concludes.

On April 10, Jadhav was given the death sentence by a military court in Pakistan for alleged "espionage and subversive activities".

Pakistan claims it arrested Jadhav in March last year from its restive Balochistan province, where the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor culminates.

India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy. (ANI)