ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court ordered the trial courts to decide the cases of the May 9 suspects within 4 months.
A 3-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi heard the Punjab government’s bail cancellation appeals of the May 9 suspects. During the hearing, the Chief Justice remarked that the cases should be trusted by the anti-terrorism court.
The court ordered the trial court to decide the cases within 4 months. The anti-terrorism courts will submit a progress report to the concerned Chief Justice every 15 days.
During the hearing, the Punjab government’s lawyer informed the court that they will complete the trial in 3 months, to which Chief Justice Yahya Afridi said that they would ask the trial court to complete the proceedings in 4 months, not 3.
Khadija Shah’s lawyer said that how will the trial be completed in 4 months. There are 35 cases against us, the trial will not be completed in such a short period.
The Chief Justice asked Faisal Chaudhry whose lawyer you are? To which Faisal Chaudhry said that I am the lawyer of co-accused Fawad Chaudhry.
Chief Justice Yahya Afridi said that he will not hear you because your case is not scheduled for hearing, to which lawyer Faisal Chaudhry said that then schedule our case for hearing.
The Chief Justice of Pakistan remarked that the Mashal Khan murder incident took place in Mardan, I was the Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court at that time, the trial of Mashal Khan murder case was completed in 3 months.
The Supreme Court said that the anti-terrorism courts should complete the trial in 4 months, the rights of the accused should not be affected due to other cases registered in the trial court.
During the hearing, Khadija Shah’s lawyer Sameer Khosa appeared in the court and requested that the fundamental rights of her client be protected, to which the Chief Justice said that trusted the anti-terrorism courts, and let the cases proceed.
Justice Salahuddin Pahanwar said that you are just talking based on the impression that your rights will be affected. The Chief Justice said that the law is clear that the trial in the anti-terrorism courts will be on a daily basis.
According to the court order, the special prosecutor appeared in the case, the special prosecutor said that the findings of the high courts were against the law and evidence, and the court was told that the anti-terrorism courts and the high courts did not properly evaluate the evidence.
Additional Prosecutor General Punjab Wajid Gilani said that the statements of 28 witnesses have been recorded so far.
It should be noted that in some cases of bail cancellation applications by the Punjab government, the Supreme Court had also ordered the trial court to make decisions within 3 months.
