THE HAGUE: Rejecting its reservations in the case filed by New Delhi, the International Court of Justice on Thursday ordered Pakistan to halt the execution of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav until a final decision in the proceedings.

"Pakistan shall take all measures at its disposal to ensure that Jadhav is not executed pending the final decision in these proceedings," ordered Judge Ronny Abraham, President of the Court, as he announced the decision.

The ICJ on Monday had conducted hearing into India's petition demanding staying of Pakistan's death sentence to Kulbhushan Jadhav, a RAW operative and on-duty Indian navy officer who was apprehended from Balochistan in a counter-intelligence operation in March 2016.

Pakistan’s counsel, Khawar Qureshi, presented the country’s stance in the ICJ on the death sentence handed to Jadhav, contending that according to the Vienna Convention the case cannot be heard in the ICJ.

“India has not provided any evidence to rebut that Jadhav is a terrorist,” Qureshi informed the court, moving it to turn down India's request.

A public sitting will take place at the Peace Palace in The Hague on Thursday (today) during which Judge Ronny Abraham will read out the verdict, the ICJ announced on its official website.