Pakistan likely to nominate ex-advocate general as ad-hoc judge for Jadhav case at ICJ

Pakistan is likely to nominate former attorney general Makhdoom Ali Khan as an ad-hoc judge for the Kulbhushan Jadhav case being heard by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague.

The federal government has started consultation in this regard.

The Express Tribune quoted sources, as saying that the Attorney General's office had recommended the names of senior lawyer Makhdoom Ali Khan and former Jordan prime minister Awn Shawkat Al-Khasawneh to Prime Minister Office (PMO) for the nomination of one name as an ad-hoc judge.

According to the report, Khan has experience in international arbitration cases, having represented eight different countries in international courts.

Khasawneh has served as an ICJ judge for over a decade.

Sources informed that the nomination of the ad-hoc judge will be finalised after getting inputs from the Foreign Office and the military establishment.

Jadhav, an Indian spy arrested from Balochistan last year, was sentenced to death by a military court in Pakistan on April 10 for 'fomenting terrorism in Balochistan and Karachi'. His execution was stayed on May 18 by the ICJ on India's request.

Earlier, former Pakistan Supreme Court's judge Khalilur Rehman Ramday declined the nomination when he was approached during the tenure of deposed prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif.

The name of the ad hoc judge is expected to be finalised by next month after India files its pleadings in the case.

Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) representative Raheel Kamran Sheikh has called for parliament's approval on the appointment of an ad hoc judge.

Former foreign minister Zafarullah Khan is the only person who has previously been appointed as ICJ judge in Pakistan's history.

A Pakistani delegation led by Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf Ali which also included Foreign Office Director General for South Asia Dr Muhammad Faisal, FO International Disputes Unit Head Ahmad Irfan Aslam, and Pakistan's counsel Khawar Qureshi had met ICJ President Ronny Abraham on June 8 and requested that the filing of written replies in the case ought to be completed before the end of the year.

Ali had also informed the ICJ about Pakistan's intent to appoint an ad-hoc judge in the case during the meeting.