- IHC extends death convict’s warrant for a day
Islamabad High Court (IHC) has extended death warrant of one day in respect of death convict Zulfiqar and sought notification from Advocate General (AG) Islamabad Mian Abdul Rauf about newly constituted Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) Islamabad.
A division bench of IHC comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Amir Farooq took up the case of death row prisoner Zulfiqar for hearing Monday.
Rana Kashif Saleem counsel for death convict Zulfiqar, AG Islamabad Mian Abdul Rauff and Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Barrister Jahangir Jadoon appeared in the court.
Rana Kashif Saleem told the court that his client was awarded death sentence by ATC Rawalpindi while ATC Islamabad No 2 has issued his death warrant.
He argued “ my client had filed petition in the court 3 days before and the court had issued stay order.
He raised the question in the court that death sentence was awarded by ATC Rawalpindi to his client while death warrants had been issued by ATC Islamabad. As per constitution, ATC Islamabad can not issue death warrants because a court which has awarded death sentence can only issue death warrants.
The court inquired from AG Islamabad if the respective court which has awarded death sentence can only issue death warrant as per law.
Citing to presidential ordinance 1970 he told the court that ATC Islamabad No 2 has been constituted as per high court orders and its notification has also been issued.
The court directed AG Mian Abdul Rauf to present notification before it on the constitution of ATC Islamabad No 2.