The court noted that the revision petition was filed after an extraordinary delay of 1,598 days
Police officers walk past the Supreme Court of Pakistan building in Islamabad, Pakistan April 6, 2022. REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court has dismissed the writ petition filed by Mushtaq Ahmed, a convict involved in killing policemen.
A trial court convicted Ahmed of murdering two police officers and a constable on duty in Lahore and sentenced him to death. The Lahore High Court (LHC) upheld the verdict.
The convict appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court, which converted the death sentence into life imprisonment. Ahmed later filed a revision petition against this order.
In a written judgment issued by Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, the court noted that attacks on law enforcement personnel fall under terrorism. It further stated that targeting government officials constitutes a direct attack on the state’s writ and judicial system.
The court noted that the review petition was filed after an extraordinary delay of 1,598 days. It held that the petitioner had not given any reasonable justification for such protracted delay.
The verdict further ruled that the charges against the convict – killing two police officers and a constable while on duty – were proved.
The Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 1997 is a comprehensive legislative framework enacted by the Parliament of Pakistan to prevent terrorism, sectarian violence and ensure speedy trial of heinous offenses throughout the country.
