Pakistan violated Vienna Convention in Jadhav case: ICJ tells UN

International Court of Justice (ICJ) President Judge Abdulqawi Yusuf at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Wednesday said that the top world court has found that Pakistan committed a violation in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case by not granting his consular access to India. 

"In its judgment (in Jadhav case), the Court found that Pakistan had violated its obligations under Article 36 of the Vienna Convention and that appropriate remedies were due in this case," Yusuf said as reported by news agency ANI.

Yusuf said that Pakistan wrongly stated that its provisions were not applicable to prisoners suspected of espionage.

Pakistan, last week, said it has provided consular access to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav and has now initiated "logical and legal steps" in the case.

"Pakistan granted consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav. Now logical and legal steps has been initiated in the matter," Pakistan foreign office spokesperson Mohammed Faisal told a press briefing. 

India has rejected Pakistan's allegations about Jadhav's involvement in spying and subversive activities and said he was kidnapped by from Iranian port of Chabahar, where he was running a business. 

Pakistan had announced in April 2017 that Jadhav has been given death sentence by a military court after which India moved the Indian Court of Justice. 

The ICJ in July had asked Pakistan to comply with the Vienna Conventions and provide consular access to Jadhav and to ensure "effective review and reconsideration of his conviction and sentences".

Pakistan had first offered the consular access to Jadhav in August but India had insisted that the consular access should be "effective and unhindered."

On September 2, India's Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan Gaurav Ahluwalia met Jadhav in the presence of Pakistani officials. It was a recorded meeting. 

(With inputs from ANI)