May 9 Riots: SC Allows Conditionally To Military Courts To Deliver Reserved Verdicts

Abdullah Hussain (@Abdulla99267510) Published March 28, 2024 | 02:37 PM

The top court held that the judgments are to be announced in instances where the accused individuals could potentially be released before Eid.

ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-March 28^th, 2024) The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday granted conditional permission for military courts to deliver reserved verdicts in cases involving civilians allegedly linked to the May 9 riots.

The top court held that the judgments are to be announced in instances where the accused individuals could potentially be released before Eid.

This decision follows a set of intra-court appeals against the Supreme Court's prior ruling, which nullified military trials of civilians involved in the aforementioned riots.

A SC six-member bench headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan conducted the proceedings during which various legal arguments were presented.

Advocate Siddiqui argued that the accused, if tried in regular courts, might have been released or granted bail by now due to insufficient evidence.

The issue of trying the cases in anti-terrorism courts was also raised, with concerns about the severity of potential punishments.

Attorney General for Pakistan, Mansoor Usman Awan, highlighted that the cases were registered under the Official Secrets Act and the Anti-Terrorism Act.

During the hearing, the AGP suggested the possibility of releasing 15 to 20 of the accused, emphasizing a three-step process involving pronouncing reserved judgments, confirmation, and potential concessions from the army chief for those with reduced sentences.

The Supreme Court, while granting conditional permission for military courts to announce reserved verdicts, underscored that this allowance is contingent upon the final decision on the appeals against the Oct 23 ruling. Additionally, the court instructed the attorney general to submit a report on the matter to the registrar.

Furthermore, the court accepted the plea from the KP government to withdraw its appeal against the Oct 23 ruling. The hearing was adjourned until the fourth week of April.