Pak has compulsions to lie to their own people: MEA on Jadhav verdict

New Delhi, July 18: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday stopped short of mocking Pakistan for claiming its victory in the Kulbhushan Jadhav judgment by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

In a veiled jibe, MEA spokesman Raveesh Kumar said Pakistan authorities might have read from a different verdict.

"Frankly ,it seems to me they are reading from a different verdict. Main verdict is in 42 pages, if there is no patience to go through 42 pages, they should go through 7-pages Press Release, where every point is in India's favour," Kumar said.

"I think they have their own compulsions, as to why they have to lie to their own people," he further said.

The narrative in the Pakistan media paints a different picture of the judgement than the one shown by our domestic media.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Wednesday ruled in India's favour in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case and affirmed that the right to consular access should be granted to the former Indian Navy officer who was arrested by Pakistan in 2019. On the death sentence awarded to the ex-navy officer in 2017 by a Pakistani military court, the ICJ today said Jadhav's death sentence should remain suspended until Islamabad effectively reviews and reconsiders the decision.

The narrative in the Pakistan media paints a different picture of the judgement than the one shown by our domestic media.

Pakistani Army's spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor reportedly said that the ruling validated military courts.

"ICJ rejects India's plea for Kulbhushan Jadhav's acquittal," a headline in Pakistan Today read.

Pakistan's Foreign Office in a statement claimed that the Hague-based ICJ in its judgement did not accept India's plea to "acquit/release" Jadhav.