ISLAMABAD - A larger bench of Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday clubbed spy Kulbhushan Jadhev case with a plea of Indian High Commission seeking to dispose of case pertaining to four Indian prisoners.
The Indian High Commission had adopted the stance in its plea that Pakistan court had no jurisdiction to hear the matter of spy Kulbhushan Jadhev case. The bench directed the foreign office of Pakistan to again contact the Indian government in the matter. It also directed the additional attorney general to play its role in clearing the misunderstanding of Indian High Commission regarding court’s jurisdiction in Jadhev case.
The lawyer of Indian High Commission Barrister Shahnawaz Noon contended that four Indian prisoners had been released and now the petition had become ineffective. The court asked the lawyer’s stance in Jadhev case and observed that there was no question of jurisdiction and exemption before this bench.
The court said that the matter was related to implementation of the decision of International Court of Justice (ICJ). May be there was any misunderstanding to Indian government in this matter, the bench remarked.
Additional Attorney general directed to clear misunderstanding regarding court’s jurisdiction
The bench further observed that the court was not crossing its jurisdiction instead it was attempting to ensure implementation of ICJ verdict. It seemed that Indian could not understand the proceeding of this court, the bench added. Chief Justice Athar Minallah observed that no doubt India was a sovereign state and its should be respected. The bench directed to club the India plea with Kulbhushan Jadhev case and adjourned hearing of the case till May 5.
The ministry of law and justice had filed an application to IHC seeking appointment of a lawyer for Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhev to contest appeal against his death sentence in light of the decision of ICJ.