PAKISTAN’S track record is not good vis-à-vis winning international legal battles but Wednesday fortunately proved to be a different day as the country finally registered a clear triumph in an important case at the international level and that too against the arch-rival India which misses no opportunity to hurt Pakistan’s interests. International Court of Justice (ICJ) whilst announcing its verdict in Kulbushan Jadhav case rejected all the 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. By all means, this decision of the ICJ is a clear and big win of Pakistan and defeat of India.
Given the influence enjoyed by India at the world level, one was not expecting such a fair decision but the way our legal team led by Khawar Qureshi presented Pakistan’s stance and got it accepted at the ICJ indeed deserves all the appreciation. This is also our success that the ICJ did not challenge the due process of procedure under which Kulbushan Jadhav was tried. It has been left for Pakistani authorities to decide the future of the Indian spy who in fact have not been denied the right to file review petitions against his conviction at Pakistani courts. Soon after the ICJ judgment, the Foreign Office also issued a statement reaffirming that Pakistan will move forward as per the law. In our view, Kulbushan Jadhav case judgment is not mere a legal battle win for Pakistan but it is also a major success at the diplomatic level as through this case our legal team successfully documented and established once for all at the international court the Indian intervention and sabotage activities in our country. New Delhi never misses any opportunity to accuse Pakistan of abetting terrorism but now it stands exposed and registered that it is India which is involved in such heinous activities against its neighbours. Now it is up to our Foreign Office as to how it further unmasks the ugly face of India at different forums. As for Indian media blowing the trumpet of success in Kulbushan case is concerned, one should not be much surprised as the same kind of drama was seen when the Indian fighter jets had demolished trees in Balakot whilst our Shaheens in the dogfight outclassed the Indian jets. Distorting facts is only the hallmark of the Indian side.
