ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday suspended the implementation of verdicts of death sentences given by military courts established as part of the anti-terror national action plan.
A 17-member bench of the apex court led by the Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk gave the verdict while hearing the case about 18th and 21st constitutional amendments in Islamabad on Thursday.
The verdict came in response to a petition filed by human rights activist Asma Jehangir on behalf of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Wednesday.
In his ruling, the Chief Justice said that those convicted by military courts could appeal against their sentences.
The apex court also issued a notice to the Attorney General Salman Aslam Butt with regards to its order.
In its petition, the SCBA requested the Supreme Court to halt the implementation of death sentences awarded by military courts until the bench took up challenges pertaining to the 21st constitutional amendment, especially the establishment of military courts.
Later, the hearing was adjourned till April 22.
On April 2, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif confirmed the death sentence given to six hardened terrorists who were tried by the recently established military courts.
The military courts were set up for a period of two years as part of the national action plan against terrorism adopted on December 24 in the wake of the terror attack on the army public school in Peshawar.
