Pak to give India access to Jadhav within its own laws

Pakistan on Thursday stated that it would abide by the decision of the International Court of Justice and allow consular officials of India to meet Kulbhushan Jadhav, but would do so in accordance with its own laws.

A spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan Government said that Jadhav had been informed about his rights under Article 36, Paragraph 1(b) of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

The ICJ on Wednesday asked Pakistan to allow consular officials of India to meet Jadhav. It also asked Pakistan Government to inform the former Indian Navy officer about his rights under Vienna Convention.

"As a responsible state, Pakistan will grant consular access to Commander Kulbushan Jadhav according to Pakistani laws, for which modalities are being worked out," the MoFA of the neighbouring country's government a
said in a statement issued late at night on Thursday.

Jadhav had been in the custody of Pakistan Army since at least March 3, 2016. A military court convicted him of working for India's external spy agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and of fomenting militancy in Baluchistan province of Pakistan. The military court had also awarded death sentence to him on April 10, 2017.

The ICJ on Wednesday concluded that Pakistan violated Article 36 of the Vienna Convention by not informing India about his arrest immediately after taking him into custody. It also concluded that Pakistan had violated the Vienna Convention by declining India's request for consular access to incarcerated Jadhav.

"Pursuant to the decision of the ICJ, Commander Kulbushan Jadhav has been informed of his rights under Article 36, Paragraph 1(b) of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations," the MoFA of Pakistan Government said in the statement issued in Islamabad.

The ICJ on Wednesday also asked Pakistan to review and reconsider the conviction of Jadhav and the death sentence awarded to him.