ISLAMABAD     -   Pakistan is awaiting India’s response on Islamabad’s offer for consular access to death-row prisoner Kulbushan Jadhav.

This week, Pakistan said the third consular access offer was still valid and India can avail it.

Pakistan has already provided two consular accesses to commander Kulbhushan Jadhav at the Indian request.

Earlier, the Islamabad High Court directed the federal government to give India another chance to appoint a lawyer to represent death-row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav as it adjourned hearing for a month.

The IHC took up the case of appointment of lawyer for Jadhav to hear the review of the death sentence given to him by a Pakistani military court.

Jadhav, the 50-year-old Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of “espionage and terrorism” in April 2017.

Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhry said Pakistan wanted complete implementation of the International Court of Justice judgment.

“There are three ways to ensure implementation; first, Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav himself files a review and reconsideration petition; second, the government of India does so on his behalf; and thirdly, that the government of Pakistan arranges legal representation for Commander Jadhav,” he said.

Chaudhry said the very purpose of the government of Pakistan’s going to Islamabad High Court was to ensure implementation of the ICJ judgment. “We are waiting for the Indian response,” he said.

The ICJ in July 2019 ruled that Jadhav be treated under the Vienna Convention, asking Pakistan to provide him consular access and continue to stay his execution.

Pakistan has also invited India to move a review and reconsideration petition before the Islamabad High Court against the conviction.

The invitation was extended after Jadhav twice declined to take advantage of the law.

Pakistan had also proposed designation of Indian nationals under the United Nations Security Council’s ISIL and Al-Qaeda Sanctions list in 2019.

“We regret the decision by some members of the UNSC Sanctions Committee to block the designation of two Indian nationals, Gobinda Patnaik and Angara Appaji, to the sanctions list on September 2 2020,” Chaudhry said.

Pakistan has always stressed the need for de-politicization of and transparency in the UN sanctions regime for its effectiveness and credibility.

“These Indian nationals are wanted criminals in Pakistan for their involvement in many high-profile terrorist attacks and are currently residing in India under state protection,” he added.

Pakistan had provided sufficient evidence to the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee including information about financial support, travel record and training camps established by this Indian terrorism syndicate to foment terrorism and instability in Pakistan.