ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has launched a “review and reconsideration process” in the case of an alleged Indian spy, Commander Kulbhushan Sudhir Jadhav, following a verdict by the International Court of Justice in July 2019 that asked the country to reevaluate the entire process of the trial and give India consular access to the prisoner, said Foreign Office Spokesman Dr. Muhammad Faisal.
The Indian naval officer was arrested in March 2016 from the volatile Baluchistan province during a counter-intelligence operation.
According to Pakistani authorities, Jadhav confessed to his involvement in subversive activities and espionage against the country and admitted that he was working for Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India’s clandestine spy agency.
Tried by a Field General Court Martial, Jadhav was found guilty and sentenced to death a little more than a year after his arrest in April 2017. However, New Delhi approached the ICJ within a month of his sentence and the world court asked Pakistan to stay his execution pending a final decision.
On Thursday, Dr. Faisal said that Pakistan had begun its internal “review and reconsideration process” regarding the death penalty handed down by the military court, though he declined to give details of the legal procedure.
Talking to Arab News in August this year, a leading international law expert, Ahmer Bilal Soofi, said “the review could be done by the appellant court or the high court in exercise of writ petition or it could also be a special bench.”
He added that Jadhav’s “lawyer should be a Pakistani national because under the Pakistan Bar Council’s rules no foreign lawyer can appear before the Pakistani court.”
His assertion was also substantiated by another lawyer, Yasser Hamdani, who noted that “the ICJ verdict makes it very clear that a civilian court will be a necessity in the matter.”
However, he maintained it was not clear how the review process would work since a decision of the military court could not be taken up by the superior civilian judiciary under the Army Act.
“Ultimately, Pakistan will have to constitute a special tribunal by making another law,” Hamdani said.
Pakistan begins ‘review and reconsideration’ process in Jadhav case
Pakistan begins ‘review and reconsideration’ process in Jadhav case
- The International Court of Justice asked Islamabad to review the procedure of the trial in July this year
- Pakistan has already given India consular access to Jadhav in compliance with the world court’s verdict
PCB sets Feb. 11 as date for player auction for Pakistan Super League 11th edition
- The squad composition would be a minimum of 16 players and a maximum of 20
- The number of foreign players would be five to seven depending on the squad size
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday announced that the player auction for the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be held on Feb. 11, setting the stage for franchises to begin assembling squads for the country’s premier Twenty20 tournament.
The development came after a workshop regarding PSL player auction at the Qaddafi Stadium, which was presided over by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and PSL CEO Salman Naseer.
The workshop was attended by PSL officials, all eight franchise representatives, members of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad, PCB officials and other capped players.
“The HBL PSL management shared a detailed presentation on the mechanics of the retention and the auction process and consulted with all the participants,” the PCB said.
“It was agreed that the HBL PSL player auction will take place on Wednesday, 11 February.”
The squad composition would be a minimum of 16 players and maximum of 20 players per franchise. The number of foreign players would be five to seven depending on the squad size, according to the PCB.
It would be mandatory for the franchises to play minimum of three and maximum of four foreign players in the playing XI. The teams are also required to have minimum of two uncapped Under 23 players in the squad and one in the playing XI.
Players either retained or picked in the auction will be engaged for two-year contracts with their respective franchise teams, the board said, adding that franchise teams will be able to retain a maximum of seven players for the 12th edition of the tournament.
“I’m delighted that a consultative and productive session was held between the franchises, players and management today resulting in informed and strategic decisions which will pave the way for bright future for the HBL PSL,” Naqvi said.
“The Player Auction model is a landmark step for the HBL PSL, offering players better financial opportunities through an increased salary purse and a transparent acquisition process, while making the league more competitive and attractive.”
PSL CEO Naseer said the player auction system modernizes player recruitment by promoting fairness, transparency, and market-driven value, strengthening the PSL’s appeal for both players and franchises.
“Today’s workshop saw all views being taken into consideration and this rich feedback will be reflected in our execution of a successful player auction scheduled next month,” he said.
PSL has become a key pillar of the country’s cricket economy, providing financial stability to the PCB and serving as a talent pipeline for the national team. The 11th edition of the league is set to begin from Mar. 26 while the final is expected to be played on May 3, as per the PCB’s schedule.
