IHC hears petition to provide lawyer to Kulbushan Jadhav

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday heard the case for providing a lawyer to Indian spy Kulbushan Jadhav, ARY NEWS reported.

A larger bench of the high court headed by Chief Justice Athar Minallah hearing a petition filed by the law ministry for appointing a lawyer for Jadhav in the light of the directive of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The court also hearing a miscellaneous petition filed by the Indian High Commission. The high commission still didn’t submit the advocacy papers in the court.

The court in a previous hearing had ordered for assistance in the light of the ICJ. The bench had directed the government of Pakistan to contact the Indian authorities.

Attorney General Khalid Javed Khan appeared on rostrum and read the legal clause relevant to the powers of the high court.

Kulbushan Jadhav has not applied for any review, while the Indian High Commission also not responding, the AG said.

“In compliance to the court order a letter has also been written to the Indian High Commission,” the Attorney General said. India sent an on-duty Navy official for terrorism, AG said.

“The court is providing last chance to India to appoint a lawyer for Kulbushan,” the chief justice said.

The bench adjourned further hearing of the case until April 13.

In October 2021, the IHC in a written verdict pertaining to the appointment of a counsel for Indian spy Kulhushan, gave another chance to the Indian government to provide assistance in the case.

In a written verdict from the three-member bench of the IHC, the court said that safeguarding the right to life and right to a fair trial of the Indian spy is crucial and therefore, meaningful, assistance by the Indian government is a pre-requisite.

While saying that the IHC had granted relief previously, the written verdict said that it would be appropriate to give another opportunity to the Indian government to extend assistance in the case in order to effectively implement the judgment of the ICJ.

Kulbushan Jadhav, an Indian spy, was arrested from Balochistan in March 2016 for masterminding sabotage acts and terrorist attacks.