Islamabad High Court adjourns Kulbhushan Jadhav case till September 3

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) today adjourned the Kulbhushan Jadhav case till September 3.

The court said that Jadhav and India should be given time to appoint a counsel on the matter. The court had earlier constituted a two-member bench to hear a review petition filed by the Pakistan government.

Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistan military court three years ago on charges of terrorism and espionage.

India had moved the International Court of Justice(ICJ) against the Pakistan court's decision as the world court stayed the order and ordered Pakistan to undertake an "effective review and reconsideration" of the conviction.

Pakistan had earlier filed a petition in the Islamabad court seeking appointment of a "legal representative" for Jadhav, however, the Indian government wasn't informed about the move as India's foreign ministry said Pakistan has once again exposed its "farcical" approach by denying available legal remedies to Jadhav against his death sentence.

"The whole exercise of not providing documents related to the case even after repeated requests, not providing unimpeded consular access and some reported unilateral action of approaching the High Court on part of Pakistan again exposes the farcical nature of Pakistan's approach," India's external affairs ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said.

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui had, however, said the country had taken "necessary steps" to implement the verdict of the ICJ.

The Pakistan government had earlier moved an ordinance in the National Assembly. According to Pakistan's International Court of Justice Review and Reconsideration Ordinance which was enacted in May a petition for the review of a military court's decision can be made to Islamabad High Court through an application within 60 days of its promulgation amid protests by Pakistan's Opposition parties.