India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said New Delhi was “determined to pursue” the case of an Indian citizen convicted by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage in the World Court.
“The developments bring out once again lack of transparency and farcical nature of proceedings against Mr Jadhav on concocted charges,” spokesperson Gopal Baglay said in a statement.
“India is determined to pursue the matter in ICJ and is confident justice will be done without being affected by these unwarranted steps by Pakistan,” he added.
Pakistan has never disclosed even to the ICJ Mr. Jadhav's purported appeal to a military tribunal in Pakistan:MEA
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 22, 2017
Former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested last year in Balochistan, the site of a long-running conflict between the Pakistan military and separatist insurgents.
Inter-Services Public-Relations (ISPR) said Jadhav has filed a mercy petition with Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Bajwa on “compassionate grounds”.
"Commander Jadhav has admitted his involvement in espionage, terrorist and subversive activities in Pakistan and expressed remorse at the resultant loss of any precious lives and extensive damage to property due to his actions," ISPR said.
After Jadhav was sentenced to death in April, India asked the World Court for an injunction to bar the execution, arguing that he was denied diplomatic assistance during what it terms as an unfair trial.
The World Court, formally known as the International Court of Justice, ordered Pakistan in May to delay Jadhav's execution. It argued that Islamabad violated a treaty guaranteeing diplomatic assistance to foreigners accused of crimes.
The World Court is the top United Nations legal body for hearing disputes between states and its rulings are binding - though occasionally flouted.
Pakistan authorities say Jadhav confessed to being assigned by India's intelligence service to plan, coordinate and organise espionage and sabotage activities in Balochistan "aiming to destabilise and wage war against Pakistan".
Balochistan, which has rich reserves of natural gas and minerals, is also at the centre of $57-billion Chinese-backed "Belt and Road" development project that first focused on Chinese firms building roads and power stations but is now expanding to include setting up industries.
Pakistan also released a second confession from Jadhav. In this he admits to working for India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and financing Baloch separatists to carry out attacks on Pakistani military targets.
