In a landmark decision, the Peshawar High Court upheld the convictions handed down by military courts to three individuals linked to a proscribed militant organization, dismissing all legal challenges against the sentences and affirming the military courts’ adherence to due process.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Sahibzada Asadullah and Justice Fazal Subhan delivered the judgment while hearing three petitions filed against the military court convictions. The court ruled that the sentences—ranging from 16 years to life imprisonment—were lawful, properly adjudicated, and did not warrant judicial interference.
Additional Attorney General Sanaullah, representing the federal government, informed the court that the convicts had voluntarily confessed before a magistrate and were tried in accordance with the law. He stated that all procedural safeguards had been ensured, including the right to appeal and access to legal counsel of their own choosing.
“One convict was sentenced to life imprisonment, another to 20 years, and the third to 16 years, following a transparent trial that fulfilled all legal and constitutional requirements,” said the Additional Attorney General.
The judgment marks a significant endorsement of the military court’s jurisdiction in cases involving terrorism and national security, with the High Court observing that the punishments were proportionate, justified, and administered in line with the legal framework governing military justice.
With this ruling, the Peshawar High Court dismissed all three petitions and validated the sentences awarded by the military courts, closing the chapter on one of the most closely watched legal battles concerning anti-terrorism measures in the country.
