Pakistan, July 17: The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations will deliver its verdict in the case involving Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav today at 6:30 PM (IST). Kulbhushan Jadhav, a retired Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged "espionage and terrorism" in April 2017. The ICJ had restrained Pakistan from executing Jadhav till the case was adjudicated on. Kulbhushan Jadhav Case: ICJ to Decide Fate of Indian National on Death Row in Pakistan Today.

Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, President of the court, will read out the decision at the Peace Palace in The Hague. While India says Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests, Pakistan has declared him a "spy" who was arrested from restive Balochistan province on March 3, 2016. Kulbhushan Jadhav Hearing at International Court of Justice: MEA Official Avoids a Hand Shake With Pakistan AG, Greets With Namaste; Watch Video.

A month after the former officer's death sentence, India took Pakistan to the world court, and the execution stayed in May 2017. In ICJ hearings, India accused Pakistan of denying consular access to Mr Jadhav in violation of the Vienna Convention.

In December 2017, Pakistan allowed Jadhav’s mother Avanti and wife Chetna to meet him on what it called “humanitarian grounds”. India, however, said the Pakistan government created an “intimidating” atmosphere where Jadhav’s mother and wife were “harassed” and “hectored”. His mother and wife were asked to change their attire as well as remove their mangalsutra, bindis and bangles, and repeatedly interrupted from speaking in Marathi and Hindi. After the meeting, India said that the retired Navy officer had simply "parroted Pakistani propaganda" and his conversation with his family was "tutored and designed to perpetuate the false narrative of his alleged activities in Pakistan".

India's lawyers told the court in February that it was 'farcical case' based on 'malicious propaganda', while Pakistan's lawyers hit back by accusing Jadhav of "terrorism' and asked ICJ to 'dismiss or declare inadmissible' India's claim for relief to Kulbhushan Jadhav.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 17, 2019 11:03 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).