Congress dismisses ICJ intervention in Kashmir issue

Responding to reports of Pakistan's alleged move to seek redressal on the Kashmir issue from the International Court of Justice, the Congress on 22 may, while dismissing the plausibility of the same, said the ICJ's interference in the matter is not a practical move, adding that Islamabad is gravely 'mistaken in the matter'.

"In the matter of execution of Kulbhushan Jadhav, India had no choice but to approach the ICJ, since consular access itself was denied. A long-pending issue like Kashmir is not one to be solved by the ICJ. This is not practical, since the two cases are very different from one another," Congress leader P.C. Chacko told ANI.

Developing on this premise, Chacko asserted that the Kashmir issue, although having been deliberated multiple times at international forums can be resolved only by means of a bilateral agreement.

"In this context, if Pakistan thinks the Kashmir issue can be raised at the ICJ, Pakistan is highly mistaken," added Chacko.

According to local media reports published in Pakistan, top authorities in the government are seeking to move the ICJ over the dispute with India for decades over Occupied Kashmir, an issue that has triggered wars between the two countries thrice.

Reportedly, Pakistan is to dispatch an ad-hoc judge to the international court while a legal team would also be formed to assist counsel in the ICJ for Pakistan, Khawar Qureshi.

Sources privy to the government have reported that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sought recommendations of institutions concerned in this regard.

Earlier in 1999, Pakistan claimed USD60 million in compensation after a Pakistan Navy aircraft, flying well inside Pakistani territory, was downed by India.

This year, India filed a petition in the international court to seek provisional stay of the alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav's execution, who was convicted of espionage by an impartial military court.

-ANI