The Supreme Court has reserved its judgement over two army officers’ appeals against their court martial after the completion of arguments, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial heard the appeals on Tuesday.
Col ® Azad Minhas and Col ® Inayatullah submitted their appeals to the apex court against their sentences announced by the Field General Court Martial in 1996. Both the ex-army officers were held guilty in the plot to topple then prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s government in 1995.
During the hearing, the additional attorney general said that appeals were submitted after a lapse of 13 years. The petitioners knew about the plot against then government and hid it. He said concealing the sensitive information is also a crime.
The AAG told the court that the Criminal Law under which these appeals were submitted, they were not included in the Army Act.
Petitioner Col ® Minhas said that his court martial was based on mala fide intention, adding that non-relevant officers had conducted an inquiry against him and then his court martial was ordered. He said that no allegations against them had been proved. He said he had been waiting for justice for 26 years.
Col ® Inayatullah said that their appeals were not time-lapsed. He said they were removed to give promotion to the blue-eyed officers.
The chief justice, however, said that if they wanted to say anything else, they could write it in black and white.
Reporter Amanat Gishkori