Kulbhushan Jadhav row: ICJ verdict in favour of India, says experts

ICJ said that case is debatable, while also adding that ICJ had prime facie jurisdiction in the case

As Pakistan filed a plea with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to rehear stay on former Indian Naval officer and alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, defence experts on Saturday said that the Pakistan's case is too weak and expressed confidence that no matter what Islamabad does the court's verdict will be in favour of India.

"The case itself is weak, whether Pakistan file a plea or not the case will remain as it is and the ICJ will stand firm in providing legal access to Kulbhushan Jadhav and also that the death sentence should be stayed," defence expert Colonel Sunil Deshpande told ANI.

He said that Pakistan case was weak, due to which it has faced lots of criticism in its own country and added that no matter what Pakistan does, the fact remains that its image has gone down completely across the world.

Echoing similar sentiments another Defence Expert Ranjit Rai asserted that the Pakistan is in a state of shock with the decision of ICJ and added that Islamabad may file a plea but the case is wide open and court's decision will be awaited.

"Pakistan is shelf shocked with the decision of the international court of justice. They cannot hang Jadhav nor can they do anything without the full trial going through in the Pakistan row," Rai told ANI.

Earlier on Friday, a day after the ICJ stayed the death sentence awarded to Jadhav by the Pakistan military court, Islamabad filed a plea in Hague to rehear the case within six weeks.

"Pakistan was set to re-challenge the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice after it granted injunction on Thursday on an Indian plea to stay Jadhav's execution," said Dunya News.

Earlier in a major reprieve to India, the primary judicial organ of the United Nations cited that both - India and Pakistan - were bound by the Vienna Convention and that the rights invoked by New Delhi under the Vienna Convention were plausible.

Justice Ronny Abraham of the ICJ said that the case was indeed debatable, while also adding that the ICJ had prime facie jurisdiction in the case.

Abraham added that under the Vienna Convention, India should have received consular access to seek justice for the former Indian Naval officer.

A military court awarded death sentence to Jadhav on April 10 on spying and terrorism charges. According to law, he can make a clemency appeal to the Chief of the Pakistan Army within 60 days of the verdict of the appellate court.

This means Jadhav can challenge till the end of Saturday his death sentence in an appellate court.