SC asks details of military courts sentences

The Pakistan Supreme Court has asked the Ministry of Defence to submit a statement containing details about the sentences awarded by military courts.

The court gave the directive during a hearing on Wednesday of the federal government's appeal against a November 2018 verdict by the Peshawar High Court (PHC) that had set aside all convictions pronounced by military courts, reports Dawn news.

The chart should include particulars like the date of arrest of a convict, nature of allegations against him, the date of commencement of his trial as well as evidence presented before the trial court that led to his conviction over terrorism-related charges, the court said.

The directive was issued by a three-judge Supreme Court bench which has taken up over 70 appeals moved by the Defence Ministry against the PHC judgement.

The high court had ruled that the convictions by military courts were wrongful and based on ill-will.

The apex court had stayed the PHC order with a directive to the jail superintendents concerned to halt the release of the accused awarded different sentences, including death. IANS