Lahore HC Bar threatens lawyers against helping former Indian Navy man

New Delhi, Apr 21 (DHNS): Chances of getting justice are slim for former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav who was sentenced to death by a military court of Pakistan for “espionage”.

The Lahore High Court Bar Association has threatened to cancel the membership of any lawyer who extends his services to Jadhav to file an appeal in a higher court.

The former navy officer can move the Supreme Court of Pakistan challenging the death sentence awarded to him by the military court.

A source, however, said that the chances of Jadhav getting a fair deal even in the Supreme Court of Pakistan are slim as the army and agencies under its control were already trying to make the judicial process biased.

Another source said the Lahore High Court Bar Association’s diktat to lawyers indicates that Jadhav’s chances of getting justice even in the higher judiciary are really slim.

India is exploring options available within the legal framework of Pakistan. New Delhi is also considering the option of approaching the International Court of Justice to seek reprieve for Jadhav, as well as to force the Pakistan government to grant consular access.

On April 10, Islamabad announced that a military court had convicted Jadhav of working for India’s external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), for “espionage and sabotage” activities to destabilise Pakistan.

The High Commission of India in Islamabad asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Pakistan government to provide certified copies of the charge sheet against Jadhav. It also asked for the order of the Field General Court Martial that awarded him capital punishment.

Gopal Baglay, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said that India had on Wednesday renewed its request to Pakistan to grant its High Commission in Islamabad consular access to Jadhav.