Hopeful that Pakistan will win Kulbhushan Jadhav case in ICJ: FM Qureshi

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Thursday said he is hopeful that Pakistan will win the case against Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

“We have solid evidence against Jadhav and are hopeful we will win the case in the ICJ,” Qureshi said while speaking to the media in Multan.

The foreign minister said, “We will try our best to present our stance in an effective manner before ICJ.”

Qureshi’s comments come a day after ICJ set February 2019 as the window for hearing the case of the convicted Indian spy. India had moved the ICJ against the case, after Jadhav — an on-duty Indian navy officer — was arrested and sentenced to death by Pakistan for espionage and subversive activities last year.

ICJ sets February 2019 for hearing Kulbhushan Jadhav case: sources

The world court will hear the case daily for a week in February next year, sources said

Further, Qureshi said, “We will try to move forward under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.” 

“The nation should be ready as we will have to take some bitter decisions,” the foreign minister said.

Qureshi also said that the “international community wishes for peace in Afghanistan".

Who is Kulbhushan Jadhav?

Commander Jadhav — an Indian navy officer working for Indian covert agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) — was arrested on March 3, 2016, from Balochistan after he entered into Pakistan from Iran.

Jadhav was tried in a military court which sentenced him to death for espionage and subversive activities.

In a reaction to the move, Pakistan’s relations with neighbouring India tensed, and New Delhi approached the ICJ to hear the case.

On May 18, 2017, the ICJ ordered Pakistan to halt the execution of Jadhav until a final decision was made in the proceedings.