- LHC vacates its stay order granted against conviction of five prisoners on death row
- Two prisoners on death row file review petition in SC against their death sentences
- Lahore ATC issues death warrants of two death-row prisoners in Faisalabad Jail
As an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore Wednesday issued death warrants of two terrorists imprisoned in Faisalabad Jail, the Lahore High Court (LHC)’s Rawalpindi bench dismissed its own stay order against the conviction of five terrorists and issued orders for implementation of death penalty awarded to them by military court for killing seven army officers and soldiers at Chenab River bridge.
The five terrorists including Aslam, Omar Nadim, Irfan Azim, Aamir Yousuf and Atif Idrees were likely to be executed within 48 hours of the filing of this report.
Justice Arshid Tabassum of LHC Rawalpindi bench took up for hearing the petition filed by the federation seeking vacation of the stay order. Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Sajid Bhatti appeared in the court and took plea that the accused were tried in military court for killing seven security forces personnel.
Bhatti said that the court had awarded death penalty to five accused in February, 2014 and they challenged their conviction as per law. However, their petition was dismissed on June 10, 2014.
Later, their death warrants were issued in conformity with the relevant law, he said, adding that the men had martyred army officers therefore, military court had awarded death sentence to them.
Bhatti further said that the inmates sent mercy appeal to army chief which was rejected by the latter. No ruling can be given against the orders of military court as per law, he said, adding that filing of an appeal in civil court in connection with their trial was illegal.
Therefore, the court should have dismissed their petitions in the beginning, he pleaded.
The five inmates are in Kotlakhpat Jail and are awaiting hanging, he said, requesting the court to dismiss stay order issued against their conviction.
The court accepted the federation’s appeal plea and vacated its own stay order and restored the death penalty of all the five accused.
ATC ISSUES TWO DEATH WARRANTS:
In the meanwhile in Lahore, ATC Lahore-1 Judge Muhammad Qasim accepted an application filed by Faisalabad Jail superintendent for issuance of death warrants of Faiz Ahmad and Muhammad Sharif, who were awarded death penalty by the trial court and their conviction was upheld by the superior courts.
Faiz Ahmad was awarded death penalty for killing Lance Naik Tariq Mahmood in Nankana Sahib while Muhammad Sharif was convicted for his involvement in numbers of terrorism activities.
ONE LAST TRY:
Separately, two prisoners on death row have filed review petition in Supreme Court (SC) after rejection of their appeal plea by apex court against death penalty.
The review petition has been filed by two death-row convicts including Muhammad Azam and Atta Ullah. They have also filed another petition praying the court to hear their review petition earlier.
Citing the federal government, Interior Ministry and others as respondents, the petitioners plead that the court had not heard their stance as per law and full opportunity was not provided to them for presenting their stance. The sentence awarded to them is illegal and unconstitutional therefore, it should be set aside, they prayed.
They have also requested the court to issue stay order against death penalty awarded to them till the completion of hearing of their case.
