Imran Sarkar seeks pardon of Kulbhushan Jadhav's sentence by secret ordinance: PAK Opposition alleges

New delhi date. 19 July 2020, Sunday

Debate has now become very common in Pakistan over whether the Imran Khan government wants to pardon Kulbhushan Jadhav, a retired Indian naval officer. Pakistan's opposition parties are considering ending the sentencing of Kulbhushan Jadhav by a secret ordinance, accusing the Imran government.

Kulbhushan Jadhav, 50, a retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in April 2017 on a false charge of espionage and terrorism. The issue of Kulbhushan in Pakistan is so hot that the law and justice ministry has to clarify. A spokesperson for the Law and Justice Ministry issued a press release on July 18 clarifying that the allegation of termination of Kulbhushan Jadhav's sentence by a secret ordinance was false.

According to a report, Pakistan People's Party Senator Reza Rabbani has accused the government of failing to introduce the ordinance in the Pakistani parliament. According to Pakistan's opposition forces, the government has issued an ordinance on Kulbhushan Jadhav without taking the country's parliament into confidence, without complying with constitutional provisions.

It may be recalled that Pakistan had on May 20 issued an ordinance (The International Court of Justice (Review and Reconsideration) Ordinance, 2020) on Kulbhushan Jadhav. Pakistan has not introduced this ordinance in any of its parliaments. But Pakistan's opposition has been accusing the Imran government of trying to relieve Kulbhushan Jadhav through a secret ordinance.

Following the ordinance, former Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav will be able to file a review petition in the Islamabad High Court against the sentence handed down by Pakistan's military court. This review application may be filed within 60 days of the ordinance coming into existence.

Last year, the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that Pakistan should be given the right to file a review and reconsideration petition against the sentence passed on Kulbhushan Jadhav. He also said that Pakistan would facilitate a councilor meeting with Kulbhushan Jadhav without further delay.

"Pakistan is bound by the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to grant Kulbhushan Jadhav the right to file a review petition against his sentence," the law ministry said. The law ministry explained to Pakistan's opposition forces that pointing a finger at the federal government there would create a false image of Pakistan in the international community.