Jadhav case: Pakistan asks ICJ for early hearing

Pakistan has asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for an early hearing in Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav case.

Amid anger at home over losing the first round in the World Court, Pakistan had last Friday filed a plea in the ICJ for it to rehear within six weeks the case of the alleged Indian spy, after the Nawaz Sharif government was slammed by the opposition for "mishandling" the case.

Pakistan's Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz had said Islamabad, with a new team of lawyers, will put forward its case vigorously in the ICJ against letting off Jadhav on India's plea.

In a breather for India, the ICJ had on May 18 stayed the execution of 46-year-old Jadhav, who was sentenced to death last month by a Pakistan military court that convicted him of alleged spying and subversive activities.

The retired Indian Navy officer has been in Pakistan custody for more than a year.Pakistan claims its security forces arrested the Indian national from its restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran.

However, India maintains that he was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy.