Instead, officials added, Jadhav had decided to apply for a mercy petition, Dawn News reported.
Jadhav, the 50-year-old retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of “espionage and terrorism” in April 2017. Weeks later, India approached the ICJ against Pakistan for denial of consular access to Jadhav and challenging the death sentence.
The Hague-based ICJ ruled in July last year that Pakistan must undertake an “effective review and reconsideration” of the conviction and sentence of Jadhav and also to grant consular access to India without further delay.
On Wednesday, Pakistan’s Additional Attorney General Ahmed Irfan said that on June 17, 2020, Jadhav was offered to file an appeal in the Islamabad High Court for review and reconsideration of his sentence and conviction.
“Exercising his legal right, Commander Jadav refused to file a petition for the review and reconsideration of his sentence and conviction. He instead preferred to follow up on his pending mercy petition,” said Irfan, who was addressing a press conference along with Director General (South Asia & SAARC) Zahid Hafeez Chaudhry.
He said the Pakistan government promulgated an ordinance on May 20 to let the Indian government, Jadhav or his legal representative to file a review petition in IHC within 60 days. The ordinance would expire on July 19.
Commenting on Irfan’s remarks, the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi dismissed his claim as “continuation of farce that has been in play for the last four years.”
Noting that Jadhav was sentenced to execution through a farcical trial, the ministry said that he “was coerced to refuse to file review in his case”.
Pakistan Ulema Council supports construction of first Hindu temple in Islamabad
An umbrella group of Muslim organisations in Pakistan has extended its support to the construction of the first Hindu temple in Islamabad and denounced the controversy over the issue, according to a media report on Saturday.
The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC), whose members include Islamic clerics and legal scholars of different Islamic traditions, also said the Constitution of Pakistan categorically defines the rights of Muslims and non-Muslims living in the country, Dawn newspaper reported.
The CII is a constitutional body responsible for giving legal advice on Islamic issues to the Pakistan government.
Pakistan’s religious affairs ministry has written to the CII to seek its opinion on the government’s funding for the construction of the temple in the capital city amid opposition from some Muslim groups.
Minister of religious affairs Noorul Haq Qadri had last week said there was no problem related to the construction of the temple, but the real issue was whether it could be built with the public money.
The government has approved Rs 10 crore for the Krishna temple, which will come up in a 20,000 sq ft plot in the capital’s H-9 administrative division.
Ashrafi said those opposing the construction of the temple have an incorrect interpretation of Sharia (Islamic law).
