Virender Sehwag and Mohammad Kaif rejoice after ICJ stays hanging of Kulbhushan Yadav

In a major boost to India, which has moved the UN's highest judicial body against the death sentence, the ICJ instructed Pakistan to take all "necessary measures at its disposal" to ensure that Jadhav was not executed pending a final decision by it. The decision of the 11-judge bench was unanimous, ICJ President Ronny Abraham said while reading out the verdict.

Among the first ones to express their happiness at this judgement were former Indian cricketers Virender Sehwag and Mohammad Kaif. The duo are among the most active sportspersons on social media in the country, and it didn't come as a surprise to see them react promptly on this hot topic.

While all Sehwag said was "Satyamev Jayate", Kaif had a little more to add, "Congratulations India. Thanks to the International Court of Justice, justice has prevailed."

Here are there tweets:

Satyamev Jayate !#KulbhushanJadhav

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) May 18, 2017

Congratulations India.
Thanks to the International Court of Justice , justice has prevailed.#KulbhushanJadhav

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) May 18, 2017

The ICJ said that India should have been granted consular access to its national as per the Vienna Convention to which both countries have been signatories since 1977. The ICJ asserted its jurisdiction over the case of the 46-year-old former Indian Navy officer while noting that the circumstances of his arrest remain disputed. The ruling came three days after India and Pakistan gave their submissions in the case.

Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav 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 Indian Navy.

Jadhav's case is the latest flashpoint in the tensions between Pakistan and India.

(Inputs from PTI)