India wants ICJ to prosecute Pakistan for war crimes in Saurabh Kalia case, if SC allows

The move is in contravention to India's long held position of not invoking ICJ on disputes relating to armed...

The Indian government said on Monday that it was ready to move the International Court of Justice on the alleged brutal torture of Indian Army officer Captain Saurabh Kalia by Pakistani forces during the 1999 Kargil war, if the Indian Supreme Court allows it.

The statement from the Indian external affairs ministry came in response to media reports suggesting a shift in the government's stand in the Supreme Court on a case filed by the family of Captain Kalia.

Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in a statement that India has "conventionally held the position that India and Pakistan can not invoke the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice in relation to disputes concerning armed conflicts, hostilities etc and as they are both members of the Commonwealth".

"This position, which was stated in the affidavit filed by the government on September 26, 2013, has now been reviewed.

The government will be requesting the Indian Supreme Court to pronounce on the legality of the stand, taking into account the exceptional circumstances.

"Subject to above, government would be open to invoking the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice," he said.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had said that the government will seek the Indian Supreme Court's permission to move the ICJ on the issue.

"We will go to the international court if the Supreme Court allows it," she told reporters.

She said the government would change its affidavit in the top court accordingly.

"We shall ask the apex court about what we can do. If they allow us to approach the ICJ, then we shall do so," she said.

The government's response came after Kalia's father NK Kalia on Monday accused the National Democratic Alliance government of not doing anything about his son's case. The previous Manmohan Singh government had clarified its stand in the Supreme Court in November 2013 that it will not treat Kalia's torture by Pakistani troops as a war crime.

The central government had filed its response in the case in the apex court, saying it had no intention of taking up the issue under the Geneva Convention. Kalia said the same stand was being pursued by the present Bharatiya Janata Party government.

The elderly Kalia, settled in the tea garden town of Palampur, about 220 km from Himachal Pradesh capital Shimla, has filed a plea with the apex court for issuing directions to the government that his son's torture by the Pakistan Army be referred to the ICJ. He is pinning hopes on the top court where his petition has been listed for next hearing on August 25.

Captain Kalia along with five other soldiers was allegedly taken captive and tortured by the Pakistan Army before being killed during th Kargil War.

The article originally appeared on NewsX.com