ICJ decision on Jadhav a victory for rule of law: Jaitley

Srinagar, May 18 (IANS) Defence and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday termed the International Court of Justice decision on Kulbhushan Jadhav a great victory for the rule of law and added that his trial in Pakistan was a "mockery" of justice.

"The kind of mockery in the name of judicial system that exists in Pakistan... Any form of judicial proceeding which is conducted in secrecy lacks the very appearance of justice," Jaitley said, commenting on the ICJ's decision asking Pakistan not to execute Jadhav pending its final decision.

"In the annals of international law this judgment is a great victory of the rule of law," he said. 

"The order today highlights the importance of the fact that when a person is allegedly accused, he has a right of effective defence... Unless the right of effective defence is exercised the proceeding doesn't inspire the confidence of fairness," he said. 

"Consular access is a part of that right to effective defence," he added. 

Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court last month on charges of espionage. India had sought consular access to Jadhav 16 times since his arrest in March 2016, which had been refused.