Pakistan to grant consular access to Kulbushan Jadhav
In a late night statement, the Foreign Ministry said Pakistan will grant consular access to Indian national Kulbushan Jadhav. The consular access will be granted according to the Pakistani laws for which the modalities are being worked out, it said. The ministry also said that Jadhav had been informed of his rights under the Vienna Convention on consular relations.
According to the Foreign Ministry, "Pursuant to the decision of the ICJ, Commander Kulbushan Jadhav has been informed of his rights under Article 36, Paragraph 1(b) of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations."
"As a responsible state, Pakistan will grant consular access to Commander Kulbushan Jadhav according to Pakistani laws, for which modalities are being worked out," it said.
A retired Indian Navy officer, 49-year-old Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of "espionage and terrorism" in April 2017.
Later, India had moved the International Court of Justice in the case and had sought a stay on his death sentence and further remedies.
A 16-member bench headed by President of the Court, Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, by 15-1 votes ordered Pakistan on Wednesday to undertake an "effective review and reconsideration" of the conviction and sentence of Jadhav and also to grant consular access to India without further delay.
In its 42-page order, the court while rejecting Pakistan's objection to the admissibility of the Indian application in the case, held that "a continued stay of execution constitutes an indispensable condition for the effective review" of the sentence of Jadhav.
The bench, however, rejected some remedies sought by India, including annulment of the military court's decision convicting Jadhav, his release and safe passage to India.
Also Read | Will move ICJ again if Kulbhushan Jadhav doesn't get fair trial: Harish Salve
Also Read | Pakistan has its own compulsions to read Kulbhushan Jadhav verdict wrongly, says MEA
Watch TV Coverage
