PHC suspends death sentence by military court

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Monday suspended a death sentence awarded by a military court to an alleged militant on account of his alleged involvement in multiple acts of terrorism.

A division bench comprising Justice Muhammad Ibrahim Khan and Justice Abdul Shakoor issued notices to the respondents, including Ministry of Defence, directing them to submit records of the case before the next hearing.

The review petition was filed by Haleema Bibi through her lawyer Arbab Yasir, seeking suspension of the military court’s conviction to her husband Habibullah. During the hearing, the lawyer argued that the security agencies had picked Habibullah three years ago and his whereabouts were unknown to the family members ever since.

Recently, he said, the petitioner received a letter in which it was explained that her husband had been awarded death sentence and kept at the internment centre in Kohat. The lawyer argued that the detainee was not given a fair trial. He questioned how he could be tried by the military court when the occurrences had taken place many years before the setting up of these courts.

He requested the court to suspend the death sentence and stop the respondents from his execution till decision in the petition.The PHC has suspended so far the death sentences of over 90 alleged terrorists convicted by the military courts and sought record from the Ministry of Defence.