Pakistan asks ICJ for early hearing in Kulbhushan Jadhav case: Report

New Delhi: Pakistan has asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to hold an early hearing in the case of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death by a military court, a media report said on Tuesday. The Express Tribune, citing sources, reported that the Pakistan Foreign Office has sent a letter to the Hague-based ICJ's registrar, expressing Pakistan's desire for a quick hearing, preferably over the next few weeks. The request was made in view of the upcoming elections for ICJ judges, scheduled to be held in November, it quoted the sources as saying. A senior official, however, was quoted as saying that the ICJ might resume the hearing in the case in October. ICJ recently stayed the execution of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death by a Pakistan military court on charges of espionage and subversive activities. In a major boost to India, which had moved the UN's highest judicial body against the death sentence, the ICJ instructed Pakistan to take all "necessary measures at its disposal" to ensure that Jadhav was not executed pending a final decision by it. ICJ directed Pakistan that it must take “all measures at its disposal” to prevent the execution of an Indian national, Kulbhushan Jadhav, pending final judgment of the Court. Asserting its jurisdiction over the case, the court backed India's contention that there has been a violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations as New Delhi's requests for consular access to its national had been denied 16 times. The Court also stated that Pakistan shall inform it of all measures taken in implementation of that Order. It further decided to remain seised of the matters which form the subject of the Order until it has rendered its final judgment. It also noted the urgency of the case since Pakistan had given "no assurance that Mr. Jadhav will not be executed before the Court has rendered its final decision". The decision of the 11-judge bench was unanimous, ICJ President Ronny Abraham said while reading out the verdict. (With inputs from PTI)