ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court will resume hearing of intra-court appeal (ICAs) against its judgment, regarding the trial of civilians by military courts, from April 24.
As per the undertaking, Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan last month had given, 20 suspects, who were tried by military courts in connection with the May 9 incidents, were released following the confirmation of their sentences and subsequent remission of their punishments by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir.
A six-member bench, headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan and comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Azhar Hasan Rizvi, Justice Shahid Waheed, Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Irfan Saadat Khan was told on March 28 that 15 to 20 accused, out of 103 arrested in the aftermath of 9th May incidents and still in military custody, would be released before Eidul Fitr.
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A report submitted before the Supreme Court, stated that the suspects were released on April 6 and April 7 in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
It mentioned that none of the persons have served a full period of one year as the remaining period of their punishment was remitted by the COAS under section 143(1) (i) of the Pakistan Army Act, 1952.
According to the list of the 20 released prisoners, all had been sentenced to one year of rigorous imprisonment, with most receiving a reduction of two months from their sentences.
The majority of the convicts hailed from Rawalpindi, with three from Lahore and five from Gujranwala. Many of them had spent over ten months in detention, except for one individual from Lahore who had been held for nine months and 26 days.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, three individuals from Dir and one from Mardan were released after serving one-year sentences imposed by the military courts. Two convicts from Dir had spent more than 10 months in custody, while one from Dir and one from Mardan had been detained for nine months and 23 days and 29 days, respectively.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024