The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will resume hearing Kulbhushan Jadhav case in February 2019, it said in a statement on Wednesday.
The ICJ, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, said that it will hold public hearings in the Jadhav case (India vs Pakistan) from February 18 to 21.
During the first round of oral arguments, India will present arguments from 10am to 1pm on February 18.
On February 19, Pakistani side will lay forth its arguments from 10am to 1pm.
During the second round on February 20, India will again present its arguments from 3pm to 4:30pm.
Pakistan will present counter arguments the next day from 4:30pm to 6pm. The hearings will be streamed live on the court’s website.
India had moved the ICJ against the case, after Jadhav — an on-duty Indian navy officer — was arrested and sentenced to death by Pakistan for espionage and subversive activities last year.
India had submitted its pleadings to the ICJ on September 13, 2017. The Indian stance was dismissed by Pakistan in its counter-pleadings, which were submitted on December 13 that year.
In its counter-memorial, Pakistan had stated that Jadhav is not an ordinary person as he had entered the country with the intent of spying and carrying out sabotage activities.
The reply also stated that Jadhav, who was a serving officer of the Indian Navy, does not fall under the purview of the Vienna Convention.
Who is Kulbhushan Jadhav?
Commander Jadhav — an Indian navy officer working for Indian covert agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) — was arrested on March 3, 2016, from Balochistan after he entered into Pakistan from Iran.
Jadhav was tried in a military court which sentenced him to death for espionage and subversive activities.
In a reaction to the move, Pakistan’s relations with neighbouring India tensed, and New Delhi approached the ICJ to hear the case.
On May 18, 2017, the ICJ ordered Pakistan to halt the execution of Jadhav until a final decision was made in the proceedings.
