New Delhi: The Islamabad High Court has said that India should be given one more chance to appoint a lawyer for Kulbhushan Jadhav. The Islamabad High Court took up the matter of appointing a lawyer to review the death sentence awarded to Jadhav by a Pakistani military court.
Jadhav, an ex-Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in April 2017 for allegedly being involved in espionage and terrorism.
Pakistan Attorney General Khalid Javed Khan told the court that as per the decision of the International Court of Justice, Pakistan provided diplomatic access to Jadhav. However, India has not responded to Pakistan’s request to appoint a lawyer for them.
As per the order of the International Court of Justice, Pakistan has enacted a special law to review the sentence of Jadhav. It is noteworthy that India approached the International Court of Justice after Pakistan refused to allow Jadhav diplomatic access.
The International Court of Justice said in July last year that Pakistan should reconsider Jadhav’s sentence.
Recently, Pakistan foreign office spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhary was asked if he would be given a local lawyer in the upcoming hearing on September 3 in the Jadhav case in Islamabad High Court. In response to this, he had said that the Indian side is constantly demanding to appoint an Indian lawyer to represent Jadhav in the Court but this is not possible. Jadhav can be advocated only by a lawyer who has obtained a license to practice in Pakistan.
Meanwhile, the Indian Foreign Ministry has said that it is in touch with Pakistan through a diplomatic channel on the issue of Kulbhushan Jadhav. All possible steps are being taken to protect Jadhav. In the past, Anurag Srivastava had said that India has asked Pakistan to provide the help of an Indian lawyer in filing a review Petition against the hanging of Kulbhushan Jadhav.
The Court adjourned hearing and directed the registrar to fix the proceedings at 2 pm on October 6.
– India Legal Bureau