India Can Appoint A Pakistan Lawyer For Kulbhushan Jadhav: Islamabad Court

Jadhav, a former naval officer was arrested in Pakistan in March 2016 and was accused of espionage. After he was sentenced to death, India challenged Pakistan's decision in World court.

Kulbhushan Jadhav Case: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday said that Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on the charges of "espionage and terrorism", appeared to be under "extreme pressure" to parrot a false Pakistani narrative.

The Islamabad High Court On Monday said in Kulbhushan Jadhav hearing that India should be given a chance to appoint a lawyer to defend the former Indian Navy commander sentenced to death for alleged involvement in a spying case. The court has adjourned the hearing till September 3rd and instructed that the lawyer should be a Pakistan and Indian authorities are allowed to appoint the legal representative for Jadhav in the case. ALSO READ|'Farcical Approach': India Accuses Pakistan Of Blocking All Avenues For Remedy In Kulbhushan Jhadav Case The decision came less than a fortnight after India accused Pakistan of blocking all chances of legal remedy for Jadhav, an Indian national sentenced to death on charges of espionage. Attorney General Khalid Javed Khan told the media the court had asked that the Indian government once again be approached to engage a lawyer, who is entitled to practice in Pakistan. In answer to a question, Khan said that so far no option has been given to allow Indian lawyers to assist the Pakistani legal team. Since his death sentence by a military court in 2017, Pakistan has allowed consular access to Jadhav only twice. Both meetings were monitored and recorded and there was no free conversation, India said. ALSO READ| Pakistan Did Not Give Unimpeded & Uninterrupted Consular Access To Kulbhushan Jadhav, Meeting Inconclusive: MEA The court said that another chance should be given to the Indian government and to Kulbushan Jadhav for arranging a lawyer. The offer to the lawyer will be made through Pakistan’s ministry of foreign affairs. Pakistan had offered Jadhav consular access for a third time on July 17 after the second opportunity was not “fully availed”. India had accused Pakistan of blocking all avenues for an effective review of Jadhav’s case and said it reserved its rights to avail of further remedies. The external affairs ministry had accused Islamabad of systematically blocking access to the former naval officer, not providing documents related to his case, and violating the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) order for a review of his conviction. In July last year, the International Court of Justice said Pakistan must review the death sentence of Kulbhushan Jadhav. The court also agreed with India's stand that Pakistan had violated the Vienna Convention by denying consular access to him after his conviction in a "farcical" closed trial.