SC suspends PHC order for release of 196 terror suspects

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday suspended the Peshawar High Court (PHC) order for the release of 196 alleged terrorists, ARY News reported.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Mushir Alam passed this direction while hearing the case in Islamabad.

The court has sought a record of the cases of these 196 alleged terrorists from the federal government and issued notices to all parties.

It is pertinent to mention here that the military courts had sentenced these 196 people for their involvement in terrorism.

Earlier on June 16, the two-member bench comprising PHC Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Mohammad Naeem Anwar set aside the conviction orders after hearing 300-plus cases of terror suspects convicted by the military courts.

The military courts had awarded death sentences, life imprisonment and ten years imprisonment to them. The court allowed the appeals of 200 petitioners and ordered their release from jail.

In its short order, the PHC bench said that the accused were convicted on the ground of their confessional statements while they were not provided the opportunity of fair trial.