Pakistan govt faces Opposition heat over Kulbhushan Jadhav bill; 'traitor' chants resonate

confusion in Pakistan's political establishment again came to fore on Thursday after opposition vociferously opposed passage of bill pertaining to Kulbhushan Jhav in National Assembly.  International Court of Justice (Review and Re-consideration) Bill, 2020 allows a foreign national to challenge a military court's order in any High Court of Pakistan eir himself or through a consular officer of his country's mission. opposition objected to fact that Imran Khan-led government passed 21 bills including aforesaid legislation despite its strong protest and walkout.

As bill was being deliberated, opposition parliamentarians gared in front of Speaker's dais and raised slogans such as "Modi's friend is a traitor". PML(N) member Ahsan Iqbal expressed concern over notion that it is a person-specific bill as his name is mentioned in Statement of Objects and Reasons. Moreover, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi came under fire after he claimed that opposition was toeing "Indian agenda" by opposing bill.

However, country's Law Minister Farogh Nasim explained that bill was being passed in light of  verdict of International Court of Justice. According to him, India would have gone to UN Security Council and initiated contempt proceedings against Pakistan in ICJ if bill would not have passed. bill which was approved by  National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Law and Justice on October 21, 2020, will become law only if it clears Pakistan's Upper House- Senate where opposition has a majority. 

Subsequently, opposition moved a no-confidence motion against Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri who presided over most of Assembly session on Thursday. Accusing him of collaborating with government "illegally", political parties alleged contravention of Constitution and democratic norms.  joint opposition letter re, " Deputy Speaker through his unlawful and fascist conduct has become instrument of treasury benches to bulldoze legislation, deny members right to deliberate upon legislation and to repressively silencing voice of people of Pakistan". 

Kulbhushan Jhav case

Involved in business dealings in Iran, retired Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jhav was abducted by Pakistan in March 2016. His case came to light after Pakistan Army released a video where is seen giving a coerced confession on camera. After a military court awarded him a death sentence on charges of espionage and terrorism in 2017, India moved ICJ. Queen's Counsel and senior vocate Harish Salve represented country at Hague.

In its judgment dated July 17, 2019, ICJ stayed Jhav's death sentence until review and reconsideration of his sentence and conviction are completed. Furrmore, ICJ directed Pakistan to allow India consular access to Jhav. In response, Pakistan promulgated  International Court of Justice Review and Reconsideration Ordinance, 2020 permitting review of a military court's decision at Islamab HC.

At present, Islamab HC bench comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb is hearing petition filed by Pakistan’s Ministry of Law and Justice seeking appointment of a lawyer for Jhav. However, India has consistently raised 4 issues- concerns about  International Court of Justice Review and Reconsideration Ordinance, 2020, lack of meaningful consular access, not allowing Queen's Counsel to represent Jhav and that appearing before a Pakistani court would compromise its sovereign integrity. A day earlier, sources told Republic TV that India is likely to seek cross-examination of Pakistani military officers who abducted Kulbhushan Jhav, and also those who recorded his confession.