Islamabad, Jul 8 (UNI) Former Indian Naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav has refused to file an appeal in the Islamabad High Court against his conviction and subsequent death sentence by a military court despite authorities' making him the offer to do so, Pakistan officials claimed on Wednesday.
Instead Jadhav who was sentenced to death in 2017, had decided to apply for a mercy petition, Dawn News reported.
Jadhav was allegedly arrested on March 3, 2016 by Pakistan on allegations of espionage and terrorism as claimed by Pakistani authorities. India has consistently said that Jadhav was kidnapped by the Pakistani security services from Iran and presented as an Indian spy.
In a press conference in Islamabad on Wednesday, Additional Attorney General Ahmed Irfan and Director General (South Asia & SAARC) Zahid Hafeez Chaudhry said that an ordinance was promulgated by the government on May 20, which allowed the Indian government, Jadhav and his legal representative to file a review petition in IHC within 60 days, which will expire on July 19.
He said Indian authorities had requested to appoint an Indian lawyer to argue on behalf of Jadhav but if an appeal is filed in the IHC, only a lawyer that holds a license of the respective court will be able to represent him. Therefore, an Indian lawyer cannot argue for Jadhav, however they can be allowed to assist Jadhav's counsel.
The Pakistani government has allowed consular access to Jadhav twice in the past and has offered to do so again, the officials said. Authorities have also offered to arrange Jadhav to meet with his father and wife, they added as they had earlier allowed Jadhav's mother and wife to meet him. The AAG and DG (South Asia & SAARC) expressed hope that the Indian government will respond positively to this offer.
Both officials recalled that Pakistan and said that the government had complied with the verdict of the International Court of Justice passed last year.
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