A lot is at stake at the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) verdict in the case relating to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav. The top court will pronounce its decision at 6.30 pm on Wednesday.
India moved the ICJ in May, 2017, citing 'egrarious violation' of the provisions of the Vienna Convention by Pakistan by repeatedly denying New Delhi consular access to Jadhav.
Kulbhushan Jadhav, the 49-year old retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by the Pakistani military court on charges of "espionage and terrorism" after a closed trial in April 2017.
The ICJ, in a statement early this month, said a public sitting would take place at 3 pm (6.30 pm IST) on July 17, during which the top judge will read out the verdict.
Not only will a positive verdict validate India's stand against terror activities promoted and promulgated by Pakistan, it will also bolster New Delhi's growing stature in the international arena.
Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav from restive Balochistan province on March 3, 2016 after he reportedly entered from Iran. India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy.
To this end, a 10-member bench of the ICJ, on May 18, 2017, restrained Pakistan from executing Jadhav till adjudication of the case.
A four-day public hearing in the high-profile case took place in February amidst heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following one of the worst terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group that killed 40 CRPF soldiers on February 14.
During the hearing in ICJ, both India and Pakistan submitted their detailed pleas and responses.
India based its case on two broad issues -- breach of Vienna Convention on consular access and the process of resolution.
POSSIBLE SCENARIOS FACING INDIA
The best case scenario is the ICJ orders release of Jadhav and provides him for a safe passage to India.
The worst case scenario, certainly, is the ICJ deciding in Pakistan's favour. This would mean Jadhav's execution and India would not be able to do anything about it.
There are, however, two possible scenarios where Jadhav would again be given a trial. Either India could be given consular access to Jadhav or another trial would be held in a civil court.
India though seems confident of a favourable verdict and justice being served to Jadhav -- the verdict comes on the International Justice Day.
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