Pak Bill on Jadhav has "shortcomings" and is clear "breach" of basic tenets, says India
New Delhi:
India on Thursday, June 17, said that the Pakistani municipal courts cannot be the arbiteron matters pertaining to Kulbhushan Jadhav and international law, and said it is high timefor Islamabad to take "appropriate steps" to address the shortcomings in the ICJ (Review and Re-consideration) Bill.
"The Bill codifies the earlier Ordinance frankly with all its shortcomings. It does not create a machineryto facilitate effective review and reconsideration of Jadhav's case as mandated by the judgement ofthe International Court of Justice," MEA spokesman Arindam Bagchi told a virtual media briefing.
He said the ICJ had ruled that Pakistan was in "breach" of its international obligation because of failure to provide consular access to Jadhav.
The Bill as passed by Pak National Assembly invites the municipal courts in Pakistan to decide on whether or not any prejudice has been caused to Jadhav for failure to provide consular access.
"This is clearly the breach of the basic tenet. The municipal courts cannot be the arbiters on whether a state has fulfilled its obligation under international law," he said.
"We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address the shortcomings in the Bill and to comply withthe judgement of ICJ in letter and spirit," Bagchi said.
A former naval personnel, Jadhav, as alleged by Indian authorities, was picked up by Pakistani operatives in 2016 from the Iranian port of Chabahar, where he was running a business.
Jadhav was sentenced to death by a military court in April 2017 in Pakistan.
The ICJ had stayed the capital punishment at the request of India and after a fierce legal battle it had ruled in favour of Jadhav and India in July 2019.
The ICJ on July 17, 2019 by 15-1 verdict had held Jadhav's conviction wrong.
On Pak and Kashmir:
Answering questions on Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi's recent letter to the UNon Kashmir, MEA spokesman Bagchi asserted that the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India."No amount of questioning can change this reality. Also cross border terrorism is unacceptable and no amount of justification can make it acceptable," he said.
Jaishankar's Qatar visit and India's stance on Afghanistan
Answering questions, MEA spokesman Bachi said External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar visited Qatar recentlyand as Qatar is involved in the Afghan peace process, the issue of Afghanistan was discussed in Minister's meetings with the Qatar leadership.He further said, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan, Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad, "happened to be in Doha during this period of EAM's visit and he called on Dr Jaishankar to brief him on recent developments regarding Afghanistan".
To a specific question on matters pertaining to the possibility of Pakistan's greater involvement in Afghanistan after US troops exit,the MEA spokesman said -
"Our position on Afghan peace process is well known....We can only speak for ourselves. India has been pro-development, pro-democracy, pro-human rights and pro-progress.It is for the people of Afghanistan to judge each of their partners on how the actions of these partners have affected the Afghan people".
On matters related to vaccination for travel to US
MEA spokesman Arindam Bagchi said:
There is no uniformity in the requirements. The US Government has clarified that vaccination is not a mandatory requirement for our students to travel. I also understand that there are multiple conversations going on between our students and the universities. We would obviously support our students.
I think everyone concerned is interested in ensuring that the students are able to reach the universities and undertake regular classes and we hope that a constructive solution is found.
ends
Eminent Sikh community leaders, academicians join BJP in Punjab
The BJP is not at all an important stakeholder in Punjab politics. Moreover, there has been a strong anti-agrarian laws agitation by 'Punjab farmers' and others for months. But the saffron party has started making initial moves to make deeper penetration; and this time they will be doing so without the support of Akalis.
The Shiramani Akali Dal, which staged a walkout from NDA embrace last year over farm laws, has already struck seat adjustments deal with BSP of Mayawati.
But the BJP has able to win over six prominent public figures join the party on Wednesday, June 16.
Subhash Sharma, general secretary of Punjab BJP, said that those who joined fresh faces from the Sikh community. “This will break the perception that the people of Punjab or Sikhs are upset with the BJP".
They may not be known political faces, but they are 'influencers and achievers'. Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma, general secretary in-charge Dushyant Gautam and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat were present when the new comers made entry to the saffron party.
They include former president of AISSF Harinder Singh Kahlon, advocate Jagmohan Singh Saini, who is also the president of Farmers’ Intellectual Front (Patiala), advocate Nirmal Singh from Mohali, Kuldeep Singh Kahlon (former AISSF leader) from Gurdaspur, former Vice-Chancellor of Guru Kashi University Jaswinder Singh Dhillon, and Col Jaibans Singh from Patiala.
The BJP's message in the Punjab elections is clear -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done a lot for Punjab and the Sikh community.
Snubbed by Akalis, the BJP may be also keen for tie up with a breakaway group or “high-profile” names from other parties.
Following the SAD move to stitch an alliance with the BSP, the caste equations have changed in the state.
Many BJP leaders have faced resistance on ground lately.
Home Minister Amit Shah and party chief JP Nadda and Punjab leaders have already met and discussed things in detail.
The BJP contested 23 seats in alliance with Akali Dal in 2017 and won three with a vote share of around 29 per cent in the seats it contested. However, across Punjab, BJP's vote share was 5.4 per cent only.
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