LAHORE: The federal government on Monday challenged a decision by the Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC), which had temporarily halted execution of death sentences of five terrorists.
The application, filed by the Standing Counsel for Federal Government Chaudhry Masroof Advocate, alleges that lawyers representing the convicts have concealed facts.
He further contended through an application that all legal requirements were followed during the course of proceedings and the punishment was awarded to convicts on merit. He thus requested the court to withdraw the stay order.
The death row inmates had been arrested in July 2013 for killing seven army officials and a police constable in Jehlum in 2012.
Earlier in the day, LHC Rawalpindi bench had decided to suspend the execution of five prisoners convicted of terrorism, Express News reported.
According to Express News correspondent Qaiser Shirazi, the relatives of the five prisoners on death row had said the prisoners had not yet issued an appeal against the decision of their execution.
The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday declared the death warrants of two convicts illegal, postponing their execution in Sukkar Central Jail. According to death warrants issued by anti-terrorism (ATC) courts, the convicts were supposed to be executed on December 23.
The court also granted permission to transfer both convicts from the Sukkur Central Jail to Karachi Central Jail.
The court said that according to jail rules executions are to be carried out only seven days after the issue of the black warrants.
Families of the convicts had filed an appeal with the Sindh High Court claiming that the death warrants are unlawful since there is already a plea for mercy under hearing in the Supreme Court.
A SHC division bench comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto heard the appeal. The court directed the ATC to issue new warrants.
The moratorium on death penalty in terrorism-related cases was lifted by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after the horrific attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar.
Further, just a day ago, four convicts involved in an attack on former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf were hanged at a district jail in Faisalabad.
Prior to this, two other convicted terrorists - Mohammed Aqeel, a former member of the army’s medical corps, who goes by the alias of Dr Usman and Arshad Mehrban - were hanged at the Faisalabad District Jail.
Aqeel was among the seven people convicted for their role in the attack on Army headquarters in Rawalpindi. Whereas Mehrban had been convicted for his involvement in the attack on former president General Pervez Musharraf.
COMMENTS (15)
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@Syme, which law of the land are you talking about? The one that applies to ruling class/ terrorists or the one that applies to the rest of us?
Will these hyperactive execution trolls. ( a new reincarnation from PTI trolls) stop being so hyperactive! We cannot compromise rule of law .
you are right, we should set them free with weapons to check whether they shoot again 148 people or go on less numbers so that we should award them certificate of noble guys. They have full right to attack freely.
The utter disregard for Pakistan Penal code is disgusting. People, in their rage has little respect for the law of land. Ordinary citizens have become judge, jury and executioners. Judges and Government know the price of their inaction, if any. However, I believe that it is also a duty of common man to educate himself or herself before hopping on a shaming wagon. The incidence leading to lifting of moratorium on death penalty is appalling but it should not cloud our sense of justice.
Its pretty clear that our judiciary and terrorists are hand in hand. I remember Hakimullah Mehsud once said that he admires Iftikhar Chaudhry.
@Mansoor: Courts talk in their decisions. You should read those decisions. Every human being must get impartial, free and fair justice. If we don't provide terrorists full opportunity to prove their innocence then there is no difference between them and us.
We may hear more such cases...you will see, only those will be hanged who have been convicted by Army court..
The judicial system should at once be dismantled and rebuild anew - this has stopped functioning.
"According to Express News correspondent Qaiser Shirazi, the relatives of the five prisoners on death row had said the prisoners had not yet issued an appeal against the decision of their execution."
...maybe they do not want to appeal?! They should have appealed by now as their sentences were probably issued a long time ago.
So if they have not filed appeal as they do not want to....are the courts and Punjab Govt. trying to force them to appeal?!!!
yup, carry on your lethargic process my honorable courts of this very unfortunate country
Why is it suspended? No reasons or threatened again to Judge or whom?
What else can we expect of our judiciary?
Judiciary has a lot of explaining to do.
Job very well done.....again Govt, Huh