Supreme Court of Pakistan has directed anti-terrorism courts (ATCs) to conclude all May 9-related cases within four months.
The decision was announced by a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, during the hearing of a case regarding the cancellation of bail for May 9 suspects.
As per the order, ATCs are required to submit progress reports every 15 days to the Chief Justice of the respective High Court. The courts have also been instructed to ensure the protection of the fundamental rights of the accused during the trial proceedings.
Defense lawyers raised concerns about the feasibility of completing trials within the given timeframe, particularly in cases involving multiple FIRs filed against the same individuals in different jurisdictions. Khadija Shah’s lawyer argued that concluding trials within four months may compromise the defendants' rights.
Responding to these concerns, Chief Justice Afridi cited the example of the Mashal Khan lynching case, which he said was successfully concluded in just three months during his tenure as Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court. He emphasized that ATCs are bound by law to conduct trials on a daily basis and must now demonstrate their ability to deliver timely justice.
The bench assured that the deadline will begin from the date the Supreme Court officially issues its order, and all ATC cases related to May 9 will be scheduled uniformly to avoid any contradictions in verdicts.
The Chief Justice concluded by stating that several May 9 cases are scheduled for hearings next Monday and Tuesday, and the Supreme Court will ensure consistency in rulings across the board.
