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Monday, March 18, 2024

ISPR Dismisses Reports Regarding Amendment of Pakistan Army Act

Director-General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor rubbished the reports regarding the amendment of PAA on Wednesday evening and deemed them as ‘incorrect’.

“Speculations for amendment in Pakistan Army Act to implement International Court of Justice (ICJ) verdict regarding convicted Indian terrorist Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav are incorrect,” tweeted Ghafoor.

“Various legal options for review and reconsideration of the case are being considered. Final status shall be shared in due course of time, he added.

DG ISPR’s response comes after Pakistani and Indian media outlets reported that there are chances of an amendment being made to the PAA.

Some media outlets reported that Kulbhushan Jadhav who had been awarded the death penalty by a Field General Court Martial (FGCM) for being guilty of espionage might be granted the right to appeal in a civilian court against his conviction and sentencing. According to their reports, this would be made possible by modifying the Pakistan Army Act.

“The Pakistan government will be making amendments in the Army Act and let Kulbhushan Jadhav appeal against his conviction in a civilian court,” India Today had claimed. Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, on the other hand, termed these reports as baseless.

Read more: Jadhav Supports Pakistan’s Stance: Consular Access doesn’t change his Conviction

Indian national, Kulbhushan Jadhav was captured in Balochistan in March 2016, and was charged with espionage and terrorism.

Jadhav, who was the serving commander of the Indian Navy associated with Indian spy agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), confessed to his involvement in the terrorist activities in his trial at a military court.

India had approached the ICJ in return, who demanded a stay in his execution.

On July 17th, this year, The International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague directed Pakistan to immediately allow consular access to Jadhav. Rejecting India’s plea for annulment of the FGCM verdict, ICJ urged Pakistan to ensure “effective review and reconsideration of his conviction and sentences”. It also shattered India’s belief that Jadhav was entitled to ‘restitutio in integrum’ (restoration to original position). On September 2, Jadhav was granted the consular access.

PPP leader, Sherry Rehman also brought up this issue in the upper house of the Parliament. She termed this as a matter of public importance and demanded clarification over the reports which suggested that the government was bringing in new legislation that would allow Jadhav to appeal against his conviction.

Read More: ICJ rejects plea to send Jadhav back to India

Dr. Shireen Mazari, Minister of Human Rights, labeled the reports as mere speculations and assured the parliamentarians that no such legislation was being introduced.