Upvote for Jadhav, thumbs down for Saeed, win-win for India

Pakistan knuckled under a diplomatic-cum-legal win for India in the International Court of Justice on Wednesday. Kulbhushan Jadhav, a 49-year-old retired officer of the Indian navy, was handed down a death sentence by the Pakisan’s military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April 2017.

The 16-member court at Hague upheld India’s claim that Pakistan is in egregious violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations in treatment of Jadhav who has been languishing behind bars since March 2016. India moved the ICJ against the verdict. His execution has since been stayed.

The order out on Wednesday read, “…The Court finds that Pakistan is under an obligation to provide, by means of its own choosing, effective review and reconsideration of the conviction and sentence of Mr Jadhav, so as to ensure that full weight is given to the effect of the violation of the rights set forth in Article 36 of the Vienna Convention.”

Islamabad’s narration is Jadhav was spying for India and was arrested from Balochistan by Pakistani security forces on March 3, 2016. India has rubbished its belligerent neighbour’s claims and has maintained that Jadhav was in Iran on a business trip.

Hafiz Saeed arrested

Co-founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba and alleged mastermind of Mumbai bomb blasts, Hafiz Saeed was arrested by Pakistani authorities on Wednesday prompting US president Donald Trump to gloat over the development. Saeed has been arrested several times in the past and subsequently released.