Pakistan presses ICJ for early hearing of Kulbhushan Jadhav case

Islamabad: Pakistan has again requested The Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ) to expedite the hearing of the Kulbhushan Jadhav case, whose execution was stayed by the court on May 18.

The Express Tribune has reported that the Foreign Office has sent a letter to the ICJ's registrar, expressing Pakistan's desire for a quick hearing, preferably over the next few weeks.

The request was made in view of the upcoming elections for ICJ judges, scheduled to be held in November. It is believed that the ICJ might resume the hearing of the case in October, the daily quoted sources, as saying.

Pakistan's Attorney-General Ashtar Ausaf Ali is expected to attend the ICJ proceedings. However, the federal government has not taken any decision as yet about replacing originally selected counsel Khawar Quraishi, saying that his performance was satisfactory and that he had raised all (relevant) legal points during the hearing on May 18.

Jadhav has been sentenced to death by a Pakistan military court for spying for India. Pakistan has also denied consular access to him on 16 different occasions, a point highlighted by the Indian team during the hearing before the ICJ bench.