PESHAWAR – The Peshawar High Court has stayed the execution of a terror convict, suspending the capital punishment awarded to him by a military court.
The PHC bench comprising Justice Roohul Amin Khan Chamkani and Justice Syed Afsar Shah issued notices to the defence ministry, asking it to produce the records of the case of the convict, Izzat Khan.
The convict is a resident of Shamozai area in Swat and his wife Nargis Bano had filed a petition challenging his conviction.
In her petition, Rao pleaded that her husband surrendered to the security forces in 2010, and since then he had been in their custody.
Claiming that Izzat Khan was innocent, Rao argued that his trial by the military court wasn’t fair.
Additionally, Mohammad Arif Jan, the counsel for the petitioner, said the convict was handed over to the security forces in 2010 and claimed that the family was told that he would be set free in few days.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/army-chief-confirms-death-penalty-for-11-hardcore-terrorists/
He contended that the convict was first kept at an internment centre in Lakki Marwat and was later shifted to another such centre in Swat.
“The convict’s family was first given visitation rights at the Swat centre but around eight months ago, it was not allowed to meet him,” said the counsel.
The lawyer added that the convict had no affiliation with any terrorist outfit and was falsely implicated in the case.
The bench fixed May 22 for next hearing of the case.
COAS Gen Bajwa Ratifies Death Warrants
General Qamar Javed Bajwa, the Chief of Army Staff had ratified the death sentences of 11 terrorists including Izzat Khan on May 5, 2018.
The military’s media wing had claimed that the convict was a member of a proscribed organisation.
According to an official press release, he was involved in the killing of innocent civilians and attacking Armed Forces of Pakistan as well as Malakand University and was involved in the destruction of three different educational institutions.
“The convict had also confessed his offences before the judicial magistrate and the trial court.” ISPR had confirmed in its statement.
