Kulbhushan Jadhav Verdict: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar To Make A Statement In Parliament Today

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said he spoke to Jadhav's family and applauded their courage. "Satyameva Jayate," he tweeted.

New Delhi: Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will make a statement in Parliament on the Kulbhushan Jadhav Verdict by the International Court of Justice in Hague on Wednesday. In a major victory for India, the ICJ ruled Pakistan must review the death sentence awarded to Jadhav and asked it to provide consular access to him. The MEA said India will continue to work vigorously for his early release and return to India. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said he spoke to Jadhav's family and applauded their courage. "Satyameva Jayate," he tweeted.

Spoken to #Kulbhushan’s family. Applaud their courage.

Satyameva Jayate https://t.co/iepXIdm7kI — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 17, 2019

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the "landmark judgment" validated India's position in the case "fully" and asked Pakistan to implement the directive of the ICJ like extending consular access to Jadhav immediately. The opposition Congress also welcomed the verdict, saying justice has prevailed but pointed out that Jadhav's safety is unaddressed and he remains "vulnerable" to another "miscarriage of justice" by Pakistan. In a reprieve for Jadhav, 49, a retired Indian Navy officer sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of "espionage and terrorism" after a closed trial in April 2017, a 16-member bench by a 15-1 vote continued the stay on the execution and held that Islamabad violated New Delhi's rights to consular visits after his arrest. A Chinese judge was part of the majority verdict while the ad hoc judge from Pakistan on the bench headed by President of the Court Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf of Somalia gave a dissenting opinion. Rejecting Pakistan's objection to admissibility of the Indian application in the case, the court in its 42-page order held that "a continued stay of execution constitutes an indispensable condition for the effective review" of the sentence of Jadhav that had strained relations between the two neighbouring countries. The bench, however, rejected some remedies sought by India, including annulment of the military court's decision convicting Jadhav, his release and safe passage to India.