Pakistan PM Imran Khan tries to give positive spin to UN Court verdict in Kulbhushan Jadhav case

Despite the International Court of Justice (ICJ) slamming Pakistan military court for its shoddy trial in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has tried to give a positive spin to the verdict.

A day after the World Court ordered Pakistan to review the death penalty given to Kulbhushan Jadhav and asked Pakistan to give consular access to former Indian navy commander, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in a tweet appreciated the International Court of Justice's decision to not to acquit, release and return Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav to India. 

Watch: Does ICJ's judgement mean nothing for Imran Khan?

He further said that Pakistan will proceed further as per law.

''Appreciate ICJ’s decision not to acquit, release & return Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav to India. He is guilty of crimes against the people of Pakistan. Pakistan shall proceed further as per law,'' Khan tweeted on Thursday morning.

India had asked the UN court, formally known as the International Court of Justice (ICJ), to intervene in the case, as it said Jadhav had been given an unfair trial and had been denied diplomatic assistance by Pakistan.

Pakistan argued that based under a bilateral treaty between the nations it was not obligated to allow diplomatic assistance for people suspected of being spies or terrorists.

The court, however, dismissed that argument and found by 15 votes to 1 that Pakistan had breached Jadhav's rights under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, by not allowing Indian diplomats to visit him in jail or assist him during his trial at a military court.

The 16-judge panel said Pakistan has to provide an "effective review" of the case and added that a "continued stay of execution" of Jadhav was needed for that to happen.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the ruling, tweeting that "Truth and justice have prevailed".

"I am sure Kulbhushan Jadhav will get justice," he added.