Indian diplomats ignore handshake with Pakistan officials at ICJ

United Nation : Ahead of hearing in Kulbhushan Jadhav case, Indian diplomats ignored handshake with Pakistani officials and greeted them with 'namaste' on the first day of hearing at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The four-day hearing started on Monday amid high tension between Pakistan and India due to deadly Pulwama attack by a Jaish e Mohammad terrorist.

Ahead of the hearing this morning, Pakistan’s Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan reached out to Deepak Mittal, Joint Secretary, the Ministry of External Affairs, to shake hand but he responded with a namaste.

Khan then extended his hand to Venu Rajamony, the Indian ambassador to the Netherlands, who was sitting next to Mittal. Rajamony too greeted him with a namaste.

The Pakistani official then moved to Harish Salve, the former attorney general who is representing India and Jadhav at the ICJ, who shook hands.

India had moved to ICJ in May last year for the “egregious violation” of the provisions of the Vienna Convention by Pakistan by repeatedly denying New Delhi consular access to the 48-year-old Indian national.