Vienna Convention not for spies involved in terror: Pakistan tells ICJ

The Hague:  Vienna Convention provisions on consular access were not intended for a "spy" involved in terror activities, Pakistan today told the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which is hearing India's plea on the death sentence given to its national Kulbhushan Jadhav. India's application on Jadhav, who was arrested in March last year and sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and subversive activities, was "unnecessary and misconceived" and must be dismissed, Pakistan told the UN's highest judicial body. India had been unable to provide an explanation for Jadhav's passport which bears a Muslim name, Mohammed Faisal of the Pakistan Foreign Office said in his opening remarks in response to India's submissions earlier in the day. India was using the court as the "scene of political theatre" but "we will not respond in kind", Faisal told the ICJ which held daylong proceedings to decide the fate of the former Indian Navy officer. There has been deafening silence and no response from India on Pakistan's accusations on Jadhav, Pakistan's lawyer Khawar Qureshi said. India on Monday put up a spirited defence and urged the international court to immediately suspend the death sentence awarded to alleged spy Kulbushan Jadhav in Pakistan, saying "the situation is grave" and there was fear that he may be executed even before the court decides the case. Lawyer Harish Salve, who led the Indian legal team at the Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ), said the matter was "urgent and hence India approached this court" that took up the case "at such a short notice". Salve told the court that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran in 2016, brought to Pakistan, presented as an alleged Indian spy and confession was extracted in a military custody. "Pakistan did not inform India of the arrest," Salve said, pointing out that India had moved the ICJ seeking suspension of the sentence awarded to Jadhav by a military court following a "farcical trial". HIGHLIGHTS BELOW:

• India seeks annulment of Pakistan's verdict on Kulbhushan Jadhav case: Harish Salve
• Visa application filed by Kulbhushan Jadhav's parents is still pending: Harish Salve
• Jadhav's execution will cause irreparable damage: Harish Salve
•  No indications whether Jadhav can seek or receive clemency. We fear that Jadhav will be executed before this trail ends: Harish Salve
• I express on behalf of my country gratitude for fixing hearing in short notice. Situation we find is grave and urgent: Harish Salve, senior advocate
• Case of serious miscarriage of Justice: Deepak Mittal
• Farcical trial conducted in Pakistan Military Court. No Chargesheet provided by Pakistan: Deepak Mittal
• Deepak Mittal, India's Agent alleges violation of Vienna convention

We are hopeful that ICJ will give a verdict in India's favor, so that Jadhav is freed soon:Arvind Singh,Kulbhushan Jadhav's childhood friend pic.twitter.com/fjW54ISnRj

— ANI (@ANI_news) May 15, 2017

The former Indian Navy officer was awarded the death sentence by a Pakistani military court last month, a year after he was arrested on espionage charges. India says Jadhav has been kidnapped and framed. Islamabad has rejected 16 Indian requests for consular access to Jadhav, who is held at an unknown prison in Pakistan. Salve said a communication from Pakistan dated May 12 didn't clarify what the charges against Jadhav were. "Pakistan said Jadhav's sentence is based on credible evidence in espionage against Pakistan. India refuses these allegations. India has taken measures to ensure appropriate legal measures for Jadhav. It is not known whether Jadhav will seek clemency in the present circumstances." Salve cited three past similar cases in which the ICJ had intervened. These cases include Paraguay versus the US in which the court decided that the American government needed to take steps to give rights of access of a Paraguayan national. In Germany vs the US, Salve said, the court held that execution of a German national was "an irreparable damage to justice". Deepak Mittal, an Indian official, told the court in his opening remarks that there was a fear that Jadhav may be executed soon even before the decision of the UN court. "Jadhav has not got the right to get proper legal assistance and the right to consular access. There is an immediate threat to him to be executed even before a decision is passed." Mittal told ICJ President Ronny Abraham, who presided over the proceedings, that India's repeated requests to Pakistan on consular access to Jadhav were denied. "India learnt from press reports that the death sentence was awarded to Jadhav on the basis of an alleged confession. Pakistan has not provided the chargesheet, any documents on the case despite repeated requests. "It is clear that Jadhav has been denied of his right to seek legal counsel. Jadhav's parents have applied for visa to travel to Pakistan which has fallen on deaf ears." V.D. Sharma, a Joint Secretary in the External Affairs Ministry and co-agent, said Pakistan had failed to comply with all its legal obligations by denying consular access to Jadhav ever since he was arrested in March 2016. Sharma also urged the court to restrain Pakistan from "giving effect to the sentence awarded by the military court" and to direct it to annul its decision. The day-long hearing, which began on Monday morning, involves two sessions of an hour-and-a-half each to India and Pakistan to make their cases. Pakistan's session will begin in the afternoon.