New Delhi: India on Thursday said that Pakistani lawyer Barrister Shahnawaz Noon "misrepresented" Indian High commission's stance on Kulbhushan Jadhav. He also "appears to have acted under pressure from the Pakistani establishment" to make such statements for "which he has no authorisation", added India.
The Pakistan lawyer claimed earlier this week that India's deputy envoy Gaurav Ahluwalia will explain New Delhi's stance over the appointment of counsel for Jadhav in the next hearing.
In fact, Noon was appointed for another case related to the release and repatriation of an Indian prisoner, and during the hearing on Pakistan's case related to the appointment of a lawyer for Jadhav, he made those claims.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, "Pakistan is trying to link the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav with another prisoner’s case".
Srivastava explained that "during proceedings of the case regarding (Indian National) Mohammad Ismail, Pakistan Attorney General raised the matter pertaining to Jadhav though the two cases are not connected in any way. Noon is reported to have made those statements which are not true and are in contravention of our stand in the case".
Pakistan government has gone to Islamabad High Court for the appointment of a lawyer for Jadhav to implement the world court's order of in 2019. The world court's verdict was a major diplomatic victory for India since it called on Pakistan to review the death sentence handed to him.
Srivastava said, "Noon has misrepresented the position of the High Commission. He was clearly told by the High Commission that he had no authority to represent either the Government of India or Kulbhushan Jadhav."
Indian mission to Islamabad has now written to the Barrister "reiterating" that he has "no authority" to represent Jadhav and "has no basis to suggest that the Indian Cd’A would appear in the court". New Delhi has called for an unimpeded unhindered and unconditional consular access for Jadhav, something which Islamabad has so far denied.
