20 May 9 convicts freed after reprieve allowed by COAS

RAWALPINDI: Following a special relaxation allowed by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Asim Munir, 20 convicts involved in the acts of May 9 and 10 have been released from the Pakistan Army’s custody.

The Attorney General for Pakistan, Mansoor Usman Awan, has also submitted a report to the Supreme Court regarding the release of 20 people who were sentenced to one year of imprisonment by the military.

The army chief allowed the release of these convicted persons prior to Eidul Fitr. They were released on April 6 and 7. They include eight residents of Rawalpindi, three from Lahore, five from Gujranwala, three from Dir, and one from Mardan.

On December 23, 2023, the Supreme Court had allowed the military court to resume trials and therefore handed down sentences in cases of lesser punishment.

The attorney general had earlier told the Supreme Court that individuals sentenced to one-year imprisonment or less could benefit from relevant legal provisions, while those facing longer sentences would require relaxation from the competent authority. The released convicts had stayed in custody for various periods up 10.5 months.

Responding to the court’s inquiry, the AGP had said that the army currently holds custody of 105 accused, two more than the previous count of 103 provided earlier. In response, the bench had solicited a comprehensive list of all 105 accused.