Suspending a Peshawar High Court (PHC) verdict setting aside convictions by the military courts, the Supreme Court on Friday stayed the release of 68 terror suspects from imprisonment.
A two-member bench headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed heard an appeal filed by the Ministry of Defence challenging the high court’s judgment and instructed the authorities to halt the release of the convicts till final ruling in the case.
The PHC had earlier declared void the convictions of the said suspects in terrorism-related cases and ordered their release.
During the hearing on Friday, Additional Attorney General Sajid Ilyas Bhatti argued that the cases which had been dealt with under the Army Act could not be considered under the ordinary laws, adding that the PHC while deciding the matter overlooked certain principles. He contended that the suspects were involved in serious crimes, including terrorism, suicide attacks and killing of law enforcement personnel as well as civilians. He pleaded the court to restore the sentences awarded by the military courts to the suspects.
Staying implementation of the high court order, the Supreme Court barred the jail superintendents from releasing the suspects and adjourned the hearing for an indefinite period.
Published in Daily Times, November 10th 2018.
