PHC sets aside conviction of 200 terror suspects

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday set aside the conviction of 200 terror suspects who were convicted by the military courts and ordered their release.

The two-member bench comprising PHC Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Mohammad Naeem Anwar set aside the conviction orders after hearing 300-plus cases of terror suspects convicted by the military courts.

The military courts had awarded death sentences, life imprisonment and ten years imprisonment to them. The court allowed the appeals of 200 petitioners and ordered their releasefrom jail. The court acquitted the prisoners convicted by military courts on the grounds of admitted illegal detention of the petitioners, recording of confessional statements after five to ten years long illegal detention, absence of jurisdiction of military courts, absence of evidence and violation of some articles of the Constitution.

In reply to a query of the bench regarding delay in recording confessional statements, the deputy attorney general (DAG) admitted that the time was consumed in brainwashing of the petitioners. The remaining 100 appeals were adjourned due to non-availability of the record. The petitioners were represented by their legal counsels Shabbir Hussain Gigyani, Arif Khan, Zia-ur-Rahman, Amir Khan, Asad Chamkani, Navid Akhtar and others. In its short order the PHC bench said that the accused were convicted on the ground of their confessional statements while they were not provided the opportunity of fair trial. The court was told that the International Court of Justice had recognized the judgment of Peshawar High Court regarding the military courts.