Amid 'sanctions' threat, Pakistan Parl panel clears bill to facilitate Kulbhushan's appeal

On Wednesday, a Pakistani Parliamentary Panel approved a government bill that seeks to permit the review of Kulbhushan Jadhav's conviction at the Islamabad High Court.  In its judgment dated July 17, 2019, the International Court of Justice had stayed Jadhav's death sentence until the review and reconsideration of his sentence and conviction are completed. In a massive embarrassment for Pakistan, its Law Minister Farogh Naseem admitted that his country could face sanctions from the international community for not complying with the ICJ's verdict.

The members of the Pakistan National Assembly's Standing Committee on Law and Justice belonging to the opposition vehemently opposed the bill, terming it as a reprieve for Jadhav. While the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam- Fazl pointed out that the bill should have been publicly debated, Pakistan Peoples Party accused the government of giving Jadhav a relief that is not even available to a Pakistani citizen. However, Naseem stated that his government had pre-empted India's move of filing a contempt petition against Pakistan in the ICJ. In the end, 8 members voted in support of the legislation while only 5 others opposed it.

Read: MEA Calls Out Pakistan For Blocking Kulbhushan Jadhav's Lawyer From Filing Review Plea

Read: MEA Repudiates Pakistan Claim Of Reaching Out For Appointing Kulbhushan Jadhav's Lawyer

The impasse over Jadhav's lawyer continues

Kulbhushan Jadhav having business dealings in Iran was abducted by Pakistan in March 2016. After a military court awarded him a death sentence on the charges of espionage and terrorism in 2017, India moved the ICJ. The ICJ directed Pakistan to allow India consular access to Jadhav. Subsequently, Pakistan promulgated the International Court of Justice Review and Reconsideration Ordinance 2020 permitting the review of a military court's decision at the Islamabad High Court. 

The impasse over the appointment of Kulbhushan Jadhav's lawyer has continued after the Islamabad High Court adjourned the proceedings till November 9. Pakistan's Attorney General Khalid Javed Khan informed the three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb that India had not availed the legal remedy yet. He argued that India had raised 4 objections- concerns about the International Court of Justice Review and Reconsideration Ordinance 2020, lack of meaningful consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav, not allowing Queen's Counsel to represent Jadhav and that appearing before a Pakistani court would compromise its sovereign integrity. 

Read: India Says Pak Must Address Core Issues In Kulbhushan Jadhav Case