ISLAMABAD (TIP): Pakistan’s attorney general Ashtar Ausaf said on Thursday that the ICJ had asked Islamabad to maintain the status quo in the case.

“The Court has clearly underscored that the provisional measures are without prejudice to the final determination of the merits and jurisdiction of the case,” Ausaf said in a written statement.

“The provisional measures are a procedural process only to enable the court to have full consideration at a later hearing,” he said. “These measures have no bearing whatsoever on the final decision of the Court,” he pointed out.

Responding to critics that Pakistan should not have accepted the ICJ’s jurisdiction, Ausaf said: “Pakistan attended the hearing out of its utmost respect for the court and pursuant to the established jurisprudence that the challenge to jurisdiction can be made via appearance and not by abstaining.”

He further stated, ” As far as Pakistan is concerned, the decision today hasn’t changed the status of Commander Jadhav’s case in any manner. In our submissions on 15 May, we had assured the court unambiguously that Jadhav would be provided every opportunity and remedy available under law to defend his case. He still has ample time to petition for clemency”

Earlier, Nafees Zakaria, the foreign office spokesman, said the decision to challenge the ICJ jurisdiction was taken after consultation with all the institutions and agencies. He said the foreign office has also requested access to Jadhav’s accomplices. “India, however, did not give a positive response to Pakistan’s request regarding access to Jadhav’s accomplices,” Zakaria said, adding that India weaved a humanitarian angle to divert the world’s attention from his real actions of fomenting terror in Pakistan. (PTI)