Apex court restores PPP legislator’s death sentence

Pakistan’s Supreme Court restored the death sentence of a ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) legislator in a multiple murder case, years after he reached an agreement with the deceased’s family.

The top court said a convict sentenced under Anti-Terrorism Act cannot be acquitted. PML-N member of the National Assembly Abid Raza, elected in 2013 general elections, was awarded death sentence by Gujranwala for the murder of six people in Pakistan Punjab province’s Gujrat, but was freed after a compromise with the aggrieved. The Supreme Court bench while hearing the case related to Abid Raza’s disqualification took strict notice of his acquittal in terrorism charges.

The court referred the case back to Lahore high court with direction to announce decision over appeals filed by convicts against their sentences in two months.

The five-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and comprising Justice Amir Hani Muslim, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Manzoor Ahmed Malik heard the suo moto case.

During the course of proceedings, advocate Munir Bhatti, counsel for the accused, stated that the family of the victims had forgiven his client after a settlement.

He pleaded the court to maintain the Lahore high court’s verdict which had acquitted his client after the settlement.

But the Chief Justice said that a compromise was not allowed in a case registered under ATA-1997.

The court suspended convicts’ acquittal, restored the trial court sentences and directed the Lahore high court to review its decision as per the law.