Islamabad: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday stayed the execution of two convicts who were awarded death sentences by a military court in terrorism-related charges.
A two-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmed, suspended their execution till final adjudication and referred the matter to the chief justice (CJ) for the constitution of a larger bench to hear the case.
The court summoned the record of the trial of accused Haider Ali and Qari Zahid Gul from the military court. The military courts established under the 21st Constitutional Amendment and Pakistan Army Act 1952 had awarded death sentence to Qari Zahid Gul and Haider Ali with others on April 2, 2015 who were arrested four years ago from Swat under The Actions in Aid of Civil Power Regulation.
Appearing on notice, Asma Jehangir, counsel for the accused, submitted before the court that due process of law had been avoided in the matter in hand, saying neither the copies of verdict were given nor were her clients allowed to engage counsels of their choice.
The learned counsel contended that verdicts of military courts had nothing to do with retrospective effects and termed the trial of convicts by the military courts as unjust.The court summoned the trial record of the accused from the military court and referred the matter to the CJ for the formation of a larger bench to hear the case.
It is pertinent to mention here that earlier in April, the apex court had stayed the execution of death sentences awarded by the military courts to six accused on charges of terrorism. The military courts had awarded death sentences on April 2, 2015 to Noor Saeed, Haider Ali, Murad Khan, Inayatullah, Israruddin and Qari Zahir.
