Mumbai: The arrest of former naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav has become another bone of contention in the bitter relationship between India and Pakistan.
Jadhav was arrested on March 3, 2016 by Pakistan military in Balochistan.
India approached the International Court of Justice against the Pakistani military tribunal's decision to sentence Jadhav to death, and a stay was granted on his execution.
This case has stretched for more than three years now and it will take decisive turn when the ICJ will pronounce its ruling on July 17.
The major developments in Jadhav case since his arrest in March 2016:
March 3, 2016: Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested in a counter-intelligence operation in Balochistan's Mashkel area for his involvement in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan.
March 25, 2016: A confessional statement was released in which Jadhav claimed to be a serving Indian Navy officer. India, on the same day, claimed that he was a former navy officer and was not serving. India denied any links with him and sought consular access to him.
April 8, 2016: Pakistan lodges First Information Report against Jadhav in Counter-Terrorism Department Quetta.
May 2, 2016: Initial interrogation began.
January 2017: Pakistan’s ambassador to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi presented a dossier to the UN chief regarding India's involvement in cross-border terrorism in Pakistan and Jadhav's arrest.
April 10, 2017: Jadhav was court-martialled and sentenced to death by a military tribunal for espionage. India deemed the death penalty handed through a Field General Court Martial as "pre-meditated murder".
May 08, 2017: India moved the International Court of Justice against Pakistan, accusing the latter of violating the Vienna Convention in Jadhav's case.
May 18, 2017: ICJ ruled the stay on Jadhav's execution by Pakistan "till the final decision of this court". It also rejected Pakistan's argument that the ICJ does not have jurisdiction in the matter, reasoning that it can hear the case because it involves, on the face of it, an alleged violation of one of the clauses of the Vienna Convention, which both Pakistan and India ascribe to and whose interpretation falls under its purview.
September 2017: India submitted written pleadings to the ICJ, accusing Pakistan of violating the Vienna Convention by denying consular access to Jadhav.
November 10, 2017: Pakistan offered a meeting between Jadhav and his wife, in Pakistan, on humanitarian grounds.
December 13, 2017: Pakistan submitted its counter-memorial to India's claim before the ICJ. In the counter-memorial, it argued that the Vienna Convention does not apply to spy operations.
December 25, 2017: The Foreign Office hosted a meeting between Jadhav and his mother and wife. The meeting held as a goodwill gesture ended in a diplomatic spat between the two countries over the security checks Jadhav’s mother and wife underwent and the language restrictions during the meeting.
February 19, 2019: The first official confrontation since the Pulwama attack took place between Pakistan and India as the ICJ began its four-day public hearing. New Delhi asked the UN's top court to annul Jadhav’s conviction.
