Pakistan blocked all legal remedies to Kulbhushan Jadhav: MEA

Pakistan has blocked all legal remedies to 50-year-old retired Naval officer and death-row convict Kulbhushan Jadhav, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday (July 23), Indian Express reported.

According to MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava, Pakistan adopted a “farcical approach” in handling the case. He said India was exploring available options in the matter. “In the absence of an unimpeded and unhindered consular access as well as of the relevant documents, as a last resort, India tried to file a petition on July 18,” he said.

“However, our Pakistani lawyer informed that a review petition could not be filed in the absence of power of attorney and supporting documents related to the case of Jadhav,” he added. Pakistan had earlier said July 20 was the last date of filing a review petition by Jadhav against the death sentence handed down to him by a Pakistani military court.

The former Naval officer was sentenced to death by the Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April 2017. India had approached the International Court of Justice against Pakistan for denial of consular access to Jadhav and challenging the death sentence.

The Hague-based ICJ ruled in July 2019 that Pakistan must undertake an “effective review and reconsideration” of the conviction and sentence of Jadhav and also to grant consular access to India without further delay.

(With inputs from agencies)