Pakistan will reportedly file its second counter-memorial on July 17 in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the conviction of former Indian Naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav who was arrested from Balochistan Province, and was awarded death penalty by Pakistani military court in April 2017 on charges of espionage and terrorism.
The ICJ on January 23 gave a timeline to both Pakistan and India for filing another round of memorials in the case.
Pakistan’s counter-petition will be in response to set of pleadings filed by India in the Hague-based ICJ on April 17.
Pakistan’s top attorney Khawar Qureshi, who pleaded the case at the initial stage, reportedly briefed interim Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk regarding the case last week. The meeting was also attended by Khalid Javed Khan, attorney general for Pakistan, and other senior officials.
The counter-memorial has been drafted by Qureshi.
Following the submission of the second counter-petition, the ICJ will fix the matter for hearing, which is likely to take place next year.
“Giving false identity to Kulbhushan, sending him for espionage and funding of terrorists activities are all some of the reasons which disentitle India from invoking the jurisdiction of the ICJ,” Pakistan had said.
However, India has been maintaining that the trial of Jadhav by a military court in Pakistan was ‘farcical’.
