ISLAMABAD – The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal of three convicted terrorists belonging to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, against their jail sentences.
The terrorists had been sentenced to 14 years each in jail after they were found in possession of explosives during a police operation in Peshawar.
The terrorists had filed appeals against their convictions in the high court following which they had moved the apex court.
During the hearing, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa remarked that the convicts’ links with the terrorist outfit were proven, adding that he did not find any technical flaws in the case.
The court observed that the militants were caught redhanded with 840kg of explosive material and also opened fire at police during the raid.
The counsel for the convicts informed the bench that one convict, Haji Habib, died in jail while the other was a minor and thus should be shown leniency.
Upon this, Justice Khosa responded that in the international community, the first mistake is termed the ‘last mistake’ decrying that in Pakistan the first-timers are let off the hook.
“This culture is a licence for committing a second mistake,” he remarked.
When the convicts’ counsel said that instead of explosives, gunpowder was recovered from the militants, Justice Khosa wondered if the counsel wanted the seizure of talcum powder from them.
The other two convicts were identified as Asif Sheeraz and Niaz.
