ICJ can’t nullify Jadhav’s death sentence: Aziz

Islamabad, May 20 (IANS) Pakistan's top foreign policy advisor Sartaj Aziz on Saturday said that the International Court of Justice cannot nullify alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhavs death sentence.

"Jadhav had confessed to carrying out terrorist activities inside Pakistan and was a naval officer using a fake passport. He was sentenced according to the country's law," Aziz said while addressing the media in Islamabad.

The adviser said India's stance that Pakistan was defeated by the recent International Court of Justice (ICJ) verdict was inaccurate. "A wrong impression was created by Indian media that Pakistan has lost the case," Aziz added.

Responding to a question on why no judge was sent on the day of the ICJ hearing, he said the government could not appoint one within a short period of five days.

"We will go with a strong team in the next hearing," Aziz said adding that even if Pakistan had chosen an ad hoc judge, the ICJ's verdict would not have changed.

Aziz said that not only was Jadhav an Indian citizen, he was in fact an officer in the Indian Navy who has also admitted to carrying out espionage activities in Pakistan.

He defended Islamabad's position saying Jadhav was tried and convicted in line with the country's constitution and laws, adding that Pakistan's position was "very strong" in this respect.

The United Nations' top court recently ordered a stay on the execution of Jadhav. Judges at the ICJ ruled that Jadhav must not be put to death by Islamabad until they have had time to pass final judgement in the case.

Jadhav was reportedly arrested in a counter-intelligence raid in Balochistan in March 2016.