Pakistan says ICJ won't acquit Kulbushan Jadhav, not answerable on death sentence

Pakistan is not answerable to anyone about the death sentence given to Indian national Kulbushan Jadhav and the ICJ will not release or acquit him, members of the legal team representing Islamabad at the world court said on Monday.

Attorney general Ashtar Ausaf Ali described the former naval officer as an "Indian agent" and said Pakistan has "important information" against him that will be presented to the International Court of Justice.

Khawar Qureshi, the London-based lawyer who is part of Pakistan's legal team, said the ICJ will not free or acquit Jadhav, who was sentenced to death by a military court for alleged involvement in spying and subversive activities.

"Let me make it very clear.Commander Jadhav is



not going anywhere. He is not going to be released or acquitted. The ICJ will never release him or acquit him," Qureshi told the media after a meeting with the attorney general.

He said India had "wrongly claimed victory" after the Hague-based court "temporarily" stayed Jadhav's execution. "You are making something out of nothing," he told reporters.

The attorney general told the media that Pakistan was satisfied with the handling of Jadhav's arrest and punishment. Pakistan, he said, was "not answerable in front of anyone" about the death sentence given to Jadhav.

Ali also said Pakistan's stance had not been rejected by the ICJ and the interim verdict was not a "defeat or victory of any country".