Islamabad, Jul 18: Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday said that Pakistan will proceed further “as per law” in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case after the ICJ ordered an “effective review and reconsideration” of his conviction and sentence by a Pakistani military court.
Reacting for the first time to the verdict, Khan tweeted: “Appreciate ICJ’s decision not to acquit, release and return Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav to India. He is guilty of crimes against the people of Pakistan. Pakistan shall proceed further as per law.”
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said “Jadhav shall remain in Pakistan. He shall be treated in accordance with the laws of Pakistan.
“This is a victory for Pakistan,” he claimed.
He said India wanted acquittal of Jadhav, but that was not accepted.
“They wanted (his) release, that’s not been accepted. They wanted (his) return, that has been rejected,” he said.
“If they still want to claim victory…. Good Luck!” he tweeted.
The Pakistan military spokesperson termed the verdict as another “February 27” for India as it surprised the Indians.
“It’s another February 27 for India because they have been surprised again. They thought that the kind of political capital they have, they can manipulate justice too but that did not happen,” Military spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor told ‘ARY News’ on Wednesday night.
He was referring to Pakistan’s downing of an IAF fighter jet and capturing its pilot on February 27 after Indian and Pakistani fighter jets were involved in aerial combat a day after India claimed bombing a training camp of JeM in Balakot.
On the issue of implementing the judgment, the spokesman said that “Pakistan will follow the law” as it was a law-abiding nation.
“For the verdict to be upheld by an international court where there is no concept of capital punishment is a big victory for Pakistan,” he said.
He said the ICJ verdict also put confidence in the judicial system of Pakistan because it said that “the review and reconsideration can be done by means of our own choosing is great validation for our judicial system.”
Pakistan’s leading newspapers also hailed the ICJ’s decision in the case as a “victory for Pakistan”.
The ICJ in verdict on July 17 turned Indian pleas for acquittal and repatriation of Jadhav while upholding its stance on the issue of granting consular access, according to ‘Dawn’.
“The ICJ, however, rejected all other remedies sought by India, which included the annulment of the military court decision convicting Jadhav, restricting Pakistan from executing the sentence, securing Jadhav’s release and ordering his return to India,” the paper reported.
