RAWALPINDI: Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor on Wednesday dismissed speculation regarding an amendment to the Pakistan Army Act in relation to the International Court of Justice’s ruling on convicted Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav earlier this year.
According to DG ISPR in a tweet, the news is baseless and a few legal options are under-consideration regarding the ICJ ruling on the matter. Maj Gen Ghafoor said that the update on the issue will be shared with certainty in due time.
“Various legal options for review and reconsideration of the case are being considered. Final status shall be shared in due course of time,” he wrote in a brief statement on social media site Twitter.
Speculations for amendment in Pak Army Act to implement ICJ verdict regarding convicted Indian terrorist Cdr Kulbushan Jadhav are incorrect. Various legal options for review and reconsideration of the case are being considered. Final status shall be shared in due course of time.
— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) November 13, 2019
There were speculations rife in India media that following the ICJ ruling, an amendment to the Army Act was in the works.
The amendment would have allowed Commander Jadhav to appeal against his conviction before a civilian court in relation to espionage charges, reports claimed.
In July this year, the ICJ ruled that India’s submission pertaining to the acquittal and release of Kulbhushan Jadhav could not be upheld.
According to the ICJ, the conviction and sentence of Kulbhushan Jadhav were not to be regarded as a violation of Article 36 of the Vienna Convention.
The ICJ allowed India consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav and called on Pakistan to review and reconsider his conviction and sentence.
Jadhav was tried in a military court which sentenced him to death for espionage and subversive activities.
Commander Jadhav was an Indian Navy officer working for Indian covert agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). He was arrested on March 3, 2016 from Balochistan after he entered into Pakistan from Iran.
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