PHC sets aside conviction of 200 terror suspects

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday set aside the conviction of 200 terror suspects who were convicted by the military courts and ordered their release.

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. The court acquitted the prisoners convicted by military courts on the grounds of admitted illegal detention of the petitioners, recording of confessional statements after five to ten years long illegal detention, absence of jurisdiction of military courts, absence of evidence and violation of some articles of the Constitution.