Pakistan passes bill to give right of appeal to Jadhav
NEW DELHI: Pakistan’s Parliament has passed a bill that will help Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav appeal against the death sentence given to him by a military court amid protests by the opposition, which accused the government of violating parliamentary principles.
The legislation to facilitate appeals by foreign nationals convicted by a Pakistani military court was among 21 bills passed by the National Assembly on Thursday. The opposition boycotted the session and contended the government had bulldozed the legislation through the House.
The International Court of
Justice (Review and Re-consideration) Bill of 2020 is on the same lines as an ordinance that was issued by the Pakistan government last year to facilitate Jadhav’s right to appeal against the death sentence given to him by a military court for alleged involvement in espionage and subversive activities. Jadhav was arrested in March 2016 in Balochistan on charges of spying and sentenced to death the following year. India has rejected the charges levelled against the formal navy officer. The ICJ stayed Jadhav’s execution in 2018.