PAKISTAN: SC ACQUITS THREE DEATH-ROW CONVICTS
July 19, 2018: The Supreme Court acquitted three convicts after seven years who had been awarded death sentence by the Balochistan High Court in a case related to a Sibi terrorist attack in 2011. A three-member bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa heard the appeal of Rehmatullah, Murad Ali and Abdul Rehman, challenging death sentence awarded by the high court. During the course of proceedings, Justice Khosa observed that how the high court, without properly examining the evidence, upheld the trial court's conviction. The court noted that lack of proper investigation affected the whole process and the prosecution also failed to establish a case against the suspects. Giving the benefit of doubt, it dismissed the high court's order which had upheld the suspects' death sentences and life-terms. It may mentioned that around 15 persons were killed when unidentified men set a bus on fire on the National Highway near Sibi in April 2011, and the suspects were arrested by the police and paramilitary for their alleged involvement. (Sources: Pakistan Point News, 19/07/2018)
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