World Court To Deliver Verdict In Kulbhushan Jadhav Case On July 17

The International Court of Justice or ICJ is expected to pronounce its verdict in the case involving Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death in Pakistan, on July 17.

Kulbhushan Jadhav, a retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April 2017. India approached the ICJ in May 2017 against Pakistan for denying consular access to Mr Jadhav.

India had also challenged the "farcical trial" by the military court of Pakistan against 48-year-old. The ICJ on May 18, 2017 had restrained Pakistan from executing Mr Jadhav till adjudication of the case.

The world court held a four-day public hearing in the case in February during which both India and Pakistan submitted their detailed appeals and responses.

India based its case on two broad issues -- breach of Vienna Convention on consular access and the process of resolution.

It urged the ICJ to cancel Mr Jadhav's death sentence and order his immediate release, saying the verdict by a Pakistani military court was based on a "farcical case" and it failed to satisfy even the minimum standards of due process.

Pakistan on its part insisted that the Indian Navy officer was a "spy" and not a businessman.

Pakistan claims that its security forces arrested Mr Jadhav from Balochistan province on March 3, 2016 after he reportedly entered from Iran.

However, India maintains that Mr Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy. Mr Jadhav's sentencing had evoked a sharp reaction in India.

Pakistan had rejected India's plea for consular access to Mr Jadhav at the ICJ, claiming that New Delhi wants to get the information gathered by its "spy".

(With inputs from PTI)