Kulbhushan Jadhav (Photo Credit: TOI)
Pakistan arrested Kulbhushan Jadhav on the charges of espionage which India outrightly rejected several times.
New Delhi: Contrary to media reports, Pakistan's 'new law' has hardly anything fresh to offer, and Islamabad "continues to deny unimpeded and unhindered" consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav.
"We have seen reports of Pakistan enacting into law the earlier ordinance that was ostensibly enacted to bring into effect the judgement of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case. Nothing could have been further from the truth," MEA spokesman Arindam Bagchi said here on Thursday (November 18) in response to media queries.
"As stated earlier, the ordinance did not create the machinery for an effective review and reconsideration of Shri Jadhav's case as mandated by the judgement of the ICJ," the MEA spokesman said.
He further said, "The new Law simply codifies the shortcomings of the previous ordinance."
"Pakistan continues to deny unimpeded and unhindered consular access to Shri Jadhav and has failed to create an atmosphere in which a fair trial can be conducted. India has repeatedly called upon Pakistan to abide by the letter and spirit of the ICJ judgement," Mr Bagchi said.
The International Court of Justice (Review and Re-consideration) Bill, 2020, was moved by Law Minister Farogh Nasim and was passed with a majority vote during the Joint Sitting of Parliament.
Kulbhushan Jadhav, a retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in April 2017 on espionage. India rejected the allegation.
An impression was given to a section of the media that its 'new law' would help Jadhav get consular access and challenge the military court verdict.
The ICJ had also ruled in July 2019 that Pakistan was in breach of its international obligations because of the failure to provide consular access to Mr Jadhav.
Pakistan has constantly been playing hide and seek games on Jadhav and has always tried to mislead the international community.
Even when Jadhav's mother and wife were allowed to meet him in a Pakistani jail, double standards and ill-treatment were meted to the two.
On December 28, 2017, the then External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj (now deceased), in a fiery statement, had said: "Pakistan had clearly assured us that media will not be allowed anywhere near Jadhav's mother or wife. But the Pakistani media not only were given clear access to the venue of the meeting, they also hounded the two women and asked insensitive questions".
The Pakistan Foreign Office claimed a "metallic substance" was found in the shoes of the wife of Jadhav.
Late Swaraj had said that it is an absurdity beyond any measure. "Jadhav's wife boarded two flights before she reached the meeting venue. How can that be possible when she took a flight to Dubai first and then went to Pakistan. If no alarms were raised then, how did the Pakistan government discover something in the shoe?"
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