The Islamabad High Court in Pakistan will hear the case of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav on Tuesday. Jadhav, who was a former Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in April 2017.
On September 3, the HC asked the federal government to give India another opportunity to appoint a lawyer to represent Jadhav. Attorney general Khalid Javed Khan told the court that to comply with the orders of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Pakistan granted consular access to India, however, it has not replied to Pakistan’s offer to appoint a lawyer for him.
On September 11, Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri informed India about the court’s order.
India in 2017 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 last year 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.
Pakistan arrested Jadhav from Balochistan province on March 3, 2016, after he reportedly entered from Iran. India maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy.
Timeline of the case:
2016:
March 3
A former Indian Navy officer, Kulbhushan Jadhav, arrested by Pakistan.
March 24
Jadhav was accused of being “an Indian spy” and was arrested from the Balochistan province in Pakistan.
March 26
India refuses Pakistan’s claim that Jadhav, who owned a cargo business in Iran, was arrested in Balochistan and holds that there wasn’t proof for Islamabad’s claim of the arrest.
March 29
Indian seeks consular access to 50-year-old ex-Navy officer and over the next year, India makes 16 such requests but Pakistan denies.
2017:
April 10
Jadhav sentenced to death by a military court in Pakistan “for his involvement in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan”.
April 11
Former external affairs minister late Sushma Swaraj, in Parliament, says that India would go “out of its way” to ensure justice to Jadhav.
April 14
India demands a certified copy of the chargesheet as well as the Pakistani court judgment in the death sentence of Jadhav from Pakistan and seeks consular access to him.
April 20
India officially seeks from Pakistan details of the trial proceedings against Jadhav as well as the appeal process in the case.
April 27
Swaraj writes to Pakistan requesting a visa for Jadhav’s family to visit him.
May 8
India approaches the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague against the Pakistan military court’s decision.
May 9
The ICJ stays Jadhav’s execution.
May 18
The ICJ tells Pakistan to put his execution on hold pending its final order.
December 26
More than a year after Jadhav’s arrest, his wife and mother meet him.
2018:
April 17
India files second round of written reply in the ICJ in Jadhav’s case.
July 17
Pakistan submits its second counter-memorial in the ICJ on the conviction of Jadhav.
August 22
February 2019 is set for hearing Jadhav’s case by the ICJ.
November 21
Swaraj seeks diplomatic access to Jadhav.
2019:
February 18
Jadhav’s case opens, Four-day hearing begins.
February 19
India urges the ICJ to annul Jadhav’s death sentence and order his immediate release.
February 20
India questions the functioning of Pakistan’s military courts.
February 21
Pakistan asks the ICJ to “dismiss or declare inadmissible” India’s claim for relief to Jadhav.
July 4
The ICJ announces to deliver verdict in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case on July 17.
July 17
The ICJ rules that Pakistan must review the death sentence for Kulbhushan Jadhav and provide him consular access.
July 18
The external affairs ministry holds that the ICJ verdict is “final and binding”. Meanwhile, Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan said that the government will “proceed as per law”.
July 19
Pakistan offers consular access to Jadhav and says that modalities of the process were being “worked out”.
July 26
Jadhav’s family meets former external affairs minister Swaraj.
August 1
Pakistan foreign office says Jadhav will be granted consular access on 2 August, but India does not accept the offer due to certain conditions put by Islamabad for the meeting.
August 9
India says in touch with Pakistan over consular access to Jadhav after Islamabad downgrades diplomatic ties with India in protest of the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir on August 4.
August 29
India says it has sought “immediate, effective and unhindered” consular access to Jadhav and is in touch with Pakistan through diplomatic channels.
September 1
Pakistan on Sunday offers India consular access to Jadhav again.
September 2
Indian deputy high commissioner to Pakistan Gaurav Ahluwalia meets Jadhav after India accepts Pakistan’s offer for consular access.
2020:
July 16
Pakistan provided consular access to Jadhav, but the Indian government said the access was “neither meaningful nor credible” and he appeared visibly under stress.
August 4
Pakistan court appoints three senior lawyers as amici curiae in Jadhav’s case.
September 3
The Islamabad HC asks the federal government to give India another opportunity to appoint a lawyer to represent Jadhav.
