ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday allowed military courts to announce its verdicts reversed in the cases of the May 9 riots.
The seven-member Constitutional Bench of the top court conditionally allowed the military courts to announce reserved judgments of the 85 accused in the cases linked to the May 9 vandalism.
The top court remarked that the accused who could be given a concession should be released. “Those who cannot be acquitted should be transferred to jails to serve their sentences,” the Constitutional Bench ordered.
A seven-member bench of the SC headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan and comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Azhar Hasan Rizvi, Justice Shahid Waheed, Justice Musarrat Hilali, and Justice Irfan Saadat Khan conducted a hearing of the case of civilians trial in military courts.
The Constitutional Bench remarked that military court judgments will remain subject to the final rulings of ongoing cases in the top court.
The top court remarked that 20 of the 103 arrested accused had already been freed.
“Those who cannot be acquitted should be transferred to jails to serve their sentences,” the Constitutional Bench ordered.
The apex court has postponed the hearing on the trial of civilians in military courts until after the winter recess.
