Pak Misrepresenting Jadhav, Linking Case to Another Indian: MEA

Kulbhushan Jadhav.

(Photo: The Quint)

India’s Ministry Of External Affairs said at a media briefing on Thursday, 3 December, that Pakistan is trying to link the case of retired Indian Navy Officer, Kulbhushan Jadhav with another Indian’s case, Ismail Samma.

Kulbhushan Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April 2017.

India has criticised Pakistan for adopting a “farcical” approach in denying legal remedies to Jadhav in contravention of the International Court of Justice order.

MEA spokesperson, Anurag Shrivastava said, “Pakistan has failed to respond on the core issues concerning the case including provision of all documents and an unimpeded unhindered and unconditional consular access of Shri Kulbhusan Jadhav which would form the basis of an effective review and reconsideration as ordered by the International Court of Justice,” reported PTI.

In 2017, India approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Pakistan for denial of consular access to Jadhav. India challenged the death row sentence handed to him by a military court. ICJ ruled in 2019 that Pakistan must undertake an "effective review and reconsideration" of the conviction and sentence of Jadhav and grant him immediate consular access to India, reported PTI.

‘Mr Noon Has No Authority To Represent Mr Jadhav Or India’: MEA

Giving a background to the other case, Shrivastava said in a routine consular practice, Counsel for the Indian High Commission, Shahnawaz Noon was representing Mohammad Ismail Samma, 53, for his repatriation and release after finishing his sentence in Pakistan jail for five years on an espionage charge. Arrested in October 2011, Samma, a resident of Nana Dinara village in Gujarat’s Kutch district went missing in August 2008 when he strayed into the Pakistan side while grazing cattle.

"However, during proceedings of the case regarding Ismail, Pakistan Attorney General raised the matter pertaining to Jadhav, though the two cases are not connected in any way," said Shrivastava.

"Mr Noon is reported to have made those statements which are not true and are in contravention of our stand in the case. He appears to have acted under pressure from the Pakistani establishment to make such statements for which he has no authorisation," said Shrivastava.

Mr Noon has misrepresented the position of the Indian High Commission, he said.

The MEA spokesperson said Noon had no authority to represent the government of India or Jadhav, and he was clearly told so by the Indian High Commission.

"Our Mission in Islamabad has written to Mr Noon reiterating that he has no authority to represent Mr Jadhav and has no basis to suggest that the Indian Cd'A would appear in the court,” said Shrivastava.

(With inputs from PTI)