India today asserted that the ruling of the International Court of Justice, staying the execution of former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, is binding on Pakistan and termed the verdict as “unanimous” and “unambiguous”.
Hours after the ICJ in The Hague pronounced its provisional order in the case, the External Affairs Ministry said the government will do everything possible to save the life of Jadhav.
Addressing a press conference, MEA Spokesperson Gopal Baglay said the provisional relief provided by the ICJ is the first step in ensuring justice to Jadhav.
The order by the ICJ is unanimous, favourable, clear and unambiguous. The verdict a matter of great relief for people of the country, he said.
Replying to a volley of questions on India’s possible response if Pakistan does not implement the ICJ order, Baglay said the order is binding on Pakistan.
Earlier, the ICJ stayed the execution of Jadhav, who had been sentenced to death by a Pakistan military court on charges of espionage and subversive activities.
Pakistan reacts to the International Court of Justice order staying Indian citizen Kulbhushan Jadhav’s execution. The Pakistan foreign office said India is trying to defend a person whose actions led to the killing of innocent Pakistanis. India is desperately tried to divert world attention by presenting Kulbhushan’s case from a humanitarian angle. India has been ‘trying to hide its real face’ by taking the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav to the ICJ.

The International Court of Justice on Thursday stayed the execution of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death by a Pakistan military court on charges of espionage and subversive activities.

In a major boost to India, which has moved the United Nations’s highest judicial body against the death sentence, the ICJ instructed Pakistan to take all “necessary measures at its disposal” to ensure that Jadhav was not executed pending a final decision by it.

The decision of the 11-judge bench was unanimous, ICJ President Ronny Abraham said while reading out the verdict. Rediffcom