ICJ has retired for deliberations. The Court will advise the date of the judgment"in due time".
India and Pakistan are set for a showdown at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) today with a four-day public hearing in the case of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage.
India moved the ICJ in May 2017 against the "farcical trial" by the military court of Pakistan against 48-year-old Jadhav.
Jadhav, a retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April 2017.
India first approached the ICJ on May 8, 2017 for the "egregious violation" of the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963 by Pakistan by repeatedly denying it consular access to Jadhav.
Supreme Court lawyer Harish Salve is representing India in the case at the ICJ.
ICJ has retired for deliberations. The Court will advise the date of the judgment"in due time".
Anwar Mansoor Khan, Pakistan's Attorney General, mentions AfzalGuru trial and the trial of Samjhauta Express to point out the alleged unfairness in India's judicial system. "When we talk of the unfortunate incident of Pulwama... India has become the judge and executioner and call themselves the victim without any evidence... Pakistan has the right to ask for proof." Khan also mentions India's alleged use of pellet guns in Jammuand Kashmir.
Anwar Mansoor Khan, Pakistan's Attorney General, is making closing remarks. "Uncalled for criticism made on judicial system of Pakistan... Pakistan has a very robustjudicial review and reconsideration system," says Khan.
Lawyer KhawarQureshimoves towards concluding his arguments on the second and final round of observations. "India's position is as devoid of legal merit now as it was on 8 May 2017... India's claim of relief remains as far fetched now as it was then," Qureshi says.
Lawyer KhawarQureshi responds to India's questioning of Pakistan's military courts.
"Pakistan has maintained dignity throughout these proceedings... and not allowed itself to be provoked," says Lawyer KhawarQureshi.
Lawyer KhawarQureshisays, while referring to Jadhav'spassport, it was rhetoric used by India as a "hollow response".
"India's conduct cannot go unchecked," Qureshi says, accusing India of seeking to twist facts and break the law in order to suit its purpose.
Lawyer KhawarQureshicalls India's National Security Advisor AjitDoval"India's self-styled superspy" and says that if Doval were to come to London, there is a vacancy for an actor to play James Bond.
Lawyer KhawarQureshisays that "India's double standards parades itself".
"India, in its desperation and total disregard for thetruth, India is reduced to equating words allegedly attributed to the secretary of the Lahore High Court Bar Association with the formal position of... Pakistan. How is this not risible?" says Lawyer KhawarQureshi.
Lawyer KhawarQureshisays that India has now "finally" asserted the report of Military Law Experts as 'irrelevant' and that it should be 'completely disregarded'. "... After having doctored the report, India enthusiasticallyembraced the report as being supportive of its conclusions," Lawyer Qureshi says.
Lawyer KhawarQureshiis presenting points about India's conduct(Image:Screen grabof the live proceedings at ICJ via United Nations WebTV)
Pakistan says India has made no substantive arguments during its submission yesterday. "Yesterday India demonstrated its abject failure to respond to evidence..." says Lawyer Khawar Qureshi.
