New Delhi: Big information is coming out about Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former Navy officer who is lodged in Pakistan’s jail. The Parliament of Pakistan has passed a bill to appeal against the sentence awarded to Jadhav by an army court. After the bill is passed, Jadhav can now appeal against his sentence in a higher court. The Pakistani government has passed this bill after the order of the International Court of Justice.
October 2020 Pak Parliamentary Committee approved
On 20 October 2020, the Standing Committee on Law and Justice of the National Assembly discussed and approved the draft bill, titled the International Court of Justice (Review and Reconsideration) Ordinance. Participating in the committee’s debate, Pakistan’s Justice and Law Minister Farogh Naseem had said, “This bill has been brought in compliance with the directions of the International Court of Justice.” He warned that “if the bill is not approved by Parliament, Pakistan could face sanctions for not complying with the decision of the International Court of Justice.”
What is the whole matter?
It may be noted that Kulbhushan Jadhav, a 50-year-old retired officer from the Indian Navy, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in April 2017 on charges of involvement in espionage and terrorism. India had moved the International Court of Justice in 2017 itself against the decision of Pakistan’s military court and denial of consular contact to Jadhav.
The International Court of Justice in The Hague, in its July 2019 decision, asked Pakistan to effectively review and reconsider its decision to convict and sentence Jadhav. Simultaneously, the court ordered India to give consular access to Jadhav without delay.
