New Delhi, Jul 18 (IANS): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday welcomed the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to put on hold the execution of retired naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav in an alleged espionage case saying this verdict brings a rare moment of relief, joy and renewed hope that he will one day return home.

"I welcome the ICJ verdict. My thoughts tonight are with Kulbhushan Jadhav, alone in a prison cell in Pakistan and with his distraught family for whom this verdict brings a rare moment of relief, joy & renewed hope, that he will one day be free to return his home in India," the outgoing Congress President said in a tweet.

His remarks came after ICJ put on hold the death sentence to Jadhav by a Pakistani military court for alleged espionage.

The ICJ also accused Pakistan of denying India consular access to Jadhav, saying it has not only violated the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations, but has also ignored a 2008 bilateral agreement on consular access.

However, the ICJ in its verdict has decided not to acquit or release Jadhav.

In November 2008, India and Pakistan inked a bilateral agreement on consular access to prisoners of their countries.