Kulbhushan Jadhav was sentenced to death by a military court in Pakistan.
Highlights
- Pakistan said Indian officials can meet Kulbhushan Jadhav tomorrow
- Will review offer, respond through diplomatic channels: India
- UN court had asked Pak to review Jadhav's death sentence last month
India will review Pakistan's offer of allowing consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav, after Islamabad said the country's officials can meet the jailed Indian national tomorrow, following a setback in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
"We will evaluate the offer. We will maintain communication with Pakistan through diplomatic channels," foreign ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.
In a big win for India, the world court had ruled on July 17 that Pakistan must review the death sentence of Kulbhushan Jadhav. It had also asked Pakistan to grant India consular access to Mr Jadhav.
Kulbhushan Jadhav's death sentence "should remain suspended until Pakistan effectively reviews and reconsiders the conviction and sentence," said the court, agreeing with India's stand that Pakistan had violated the Vienna convention by denying consular access to Mr Jadhav after his conviction in a "farcical" closed trial.
"Truth and justice have prevailed. I am sure Kulbhushan Jadhav will get justice," Prime Minister Narendra Modi had tweeted.
Kulbhushan Jadhav, 49, a retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of "espionage and terrorism" in April 2017 following which India had moved the International Court of Justice, seeking a stay on his death sentence and further remedies.
However, India maintains that Mr Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he was running a business after retiring from the navy.
A 16-member bench headed by President of the Court, Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, by 15-1 votes ordered Pakistan last month to undertake an "effective review and reconsideration" of the conviction and sentence of Kulbhushan Jadhav and also to grant consular access to India without further delay.
In its 42-page order, the world court while rejecting Pakistan's objection to admissibility of the Indian application in the case, held that "a continued stay of execution constitutes an indispensable condition for the effective review" of the sentence of Kulbhushan Jadhav.
The bench, however, rejected some remedies sought by India, including cancelling the military court's decision convicting Kulbhushan Jadhav, his release and safe passage to India.
(With inputs from PTI)