Pak Dumps Its Legal Team After ICJ Snub

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz has said that his country will constitute a new team of lawyers to “vigorously” present its case against India at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Kulbhushan Jadhav issue in the next round.

The Hague-based court had on Thursday stayed the execution of Jadhav, 46, considered an Indian spy by Pakistan.

The court also asked Pakistan to take “all measures” to ensure that Jadhav, sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged espionage, was not executed till the final verdict. Indian legal team was headed by senior advocate and renowned lawyer Harish Salve who was India’s Attorney in the case.

The ICJ ruling triggered criticism of the Pakistan Foreign Office for its choice of UK-based Khawar Qureshi, who represented Pakistan's case.

The decision to announce a new team to represent Pakistan in the nex round was reported by news agency Press Trust of India.

PTI said the announcement came amid criticism by experts and opposition leaders over the government's handling of the case.

The International Court of Justice had provisionally stayed the execution of former Indian Navy Officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani Military Court on espionage charges.

The Court dismissed Pakistan’s notion of jurisdiction in the case, and further observed that Mr. Jadhav should have been given consular access as per Vienna Convention. It further rejected the argument put forth by Pakistan that consular access between India and Pakistan should be solely decided on the basis of the 2008 bilateral agreement.