In a shocking revelation, WION News has found that UPA government had hired Pak-origin UK lawyer Khawar Qureshi in 2004. He was reportedly recommended by law firm Fox Mandal for the Dabhol case.

Qureshi recently argued against India at the ICJ where he called India’s claims about Kulbhushan Jadhav ‘far-fetched’.

The Congress-led UPA government had hired Khawar to represent India in the Dabhol power project case. In that particular case, Enron had made a US $ 6 billion dollar (5 billion pounds) claim against the government of India, the case went to arbitration. In 2004, when Congress-led UPA came to power, they changed the entire legal team and appointed Khawar Qureshi to appear on behalf of the Indian government.

An article from 2004 in The Lawyer, states that Serle Court chambers’ lawyer Khawar Qureshi had been appointed as counsel for the government of India. A host of UK firms had been invited to take India’s case. A spokesperson from the previous law firm had said: “Following the appointment of the new Attorney General, the entire legal team, including the Indian advisers, was replaced.”

Meanwhile, the other side was represented by New York law firm Simpson Thacher and Barlett.

The UPA government had hired Qureshi in Dabhol case overlooking Indian lawyers. Defending the decision, Congress national spokesperson Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi said today that Qureshi is an independent barrister and Indian lawyers are also engaged by Pakistan. Singhvi said that the entire matter is a non-issue.

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The Jadhav ruling triggered criticism of the Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) for its "poor handling" and also for its choice of UK-based Khawar Qureshi, who represented Pakistan's case before the ICJ. Following the criticism, Pakistan will constitute a new team of lawyers to "vigorously" present its case against Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav at the ICJ, the Prime Minister's advisor on foreign affairs said today as the government faced flak over the handling of the case.

The announcement by Sartaj Aziz came amid criticism by experts and opposition leaders over the government's handling of the case at the International Court of Justice.

The Hague-based court had yesterday stayed the execution of Jadhav, 46, considered to be a spy by Pakistan.

The UN's highest judicial body also asked Pakistan to take "all measures" to ensure that Jadhav, sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged espionage, was not executed till the court had delivered its final verdict on the issue.

Aziz, however, maintained that Qureshi had "courageously" presented Pakistan's case in the court, the Nation reported. He said the ICJ had given its point of view on Jadhav's case to get counselor access.

"Pakistan s security is so important and we have to maintain our fundamental sovereign right," Aziz was quoted as saying by the daily.

With inputs from agencies