ISLAMABAD: On The request of Law and Justice ministry for the appointment of a lawyer to contest the appeal of Indian's spy Kuhbhushan Jadhav in light of the verdict of International Court of Justice (ICJ), a larger bench of Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday adjourned ministry's petition.

The hearing was adjourned without proceeding due to the absence of attorney general of Pakistan owing to infected by COVID-19.

The court, however, summoned Indian High Commission's counsel on April 8, to answer into the matter.

A larger bench headed by Chief Justice Athar Minallah and comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb heard the case.

Additional Attorney General Tariq Khokhar and Deputy Attorney General Tayyab Shah appeared before the bench and apprised it that AGP Khalid Javed couldn't attend the proceeding due to COVID-19 test positive.

AAG informed the court that five Indian prisoners had been released and repatriated to their country.

He said that Indian High Commission's lawyer Shahnawaz Noon had submitted that his client country was considering whether to pursue the Jadhav appeal or not, but he had not yet received reply.

The court summoned Indian High Commission's lawyer on April 8, and adjourned hearing of the case.