In 2005, Congress-Led UPA Hired Khawar Qureshi, Pakistan’s Lawyer In Jadhav Case At ICJ

WION News reported yesterday (19 May) that within months of coming to power at the centre in New Delhi in 2004, Congress-Led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government hired Pakistan-origin lawyer Khawar Qureshi to represent the Indian government at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Enron-Dabhol power plant case.

Khawar Qureshi is an expert in international arbitration. He recently represented Pakistan at the ICJ and argued in favour of Pakistan Army’s right to execute Kulbhushan Jadhav without proper trial. He called India’s stand on Jadhav “far-fetched’. Pakistan foreign ministry on whose recommendation Qureshi was hired is facing a lot of flak as details came out that he charged Rs 5 crore from the Pakistan government when Harish Salve, who represented India took a token fee of only Rupee 1.

When the UPA government came to power and appointed its own attorney general, the whole legal team in the Enron-Dabhol power plant case was changed including Indian advisers, DNA reported. Then, Qureshi was appointed to appear to fight India’s case.

On the issue of overlooking Indian lawyers, DNA quoted Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi saying that ‘Qureshi is an independent barrister and Indian lawyers are also engaged by Pakistan. Singhvi said that the entire matter is a non-issue.’