Pak constituting new legal team means it has accepted defeat: Nikam

After Advisor to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Saturday reiterated Pakistan's stand that Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav cannot be acquitted by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and his punishment will be in accordance with domestic laws, noted public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam on Saturday asserted that by mulling to constitute a new legal team, Pakistan has made it clear that they have accepted their defeat at the court.

"Aziz has made three revelations. Firstly, that Pakistan is going to constitute new legal team, but they will not expel Barrister Qureshi. He would be one of the members. Aziz has also said that they would approach the ICJ for an immediate hearing of the entire case. Thirdly, Pakistan would like to also agitate certain issues against India before the ICJ. The very fact that you are changing your legal team means you have accepted your defeat," Nikam told ANI.

Earlier in the day, Sartaj Aziz argued that Indian rant of victory following the ICJ's stay at the execution of Jadhav was false, because the final verdict was yet to come.

"The ICJ gave no verdict regarding consular access", Aziz added.

Aziz said that India had made a mistake by going to the ICJ as it paved the way for Pakistan to raise the matter of humanitarian violations in Kashmir.

While answering to the question as to why Pakistan moved the ICJ on the Kulbhushan Jadhav matter, he said Pakistan was a member state of the United Nations and the decision was taken after consultation.