ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has commuted the death sentences of convicts to life imprisonment in a murder case linked to a 2011 mobile phone snatching incident in Karachi.
The case was heard by a three-member bench headed by Justice Hashim Kakar.The defence counsel informed the court that although police had reached the scene at the time of the incident, the First Information Report (FIR) was registered two days later against unidentified persons. He further argued that the FIR contained no mention of mobile phone theft and that the aspect of mobile snatching was introduced later by the complainant.
Justice Hashim Kakar asked the counsel whether he was seeking acquittal or conversion of the sentence to life imprisonment. He also observed that the matter involved capital punishment and warned that any wrongful conviction would carry grave moral responsibility.
After examining witness identification and other evidence on record and detailed arguments, the Supreme Court ordered that the death sentences awarded to the convicts be converted to life imprisonment. The court clarified that all legal aspects and evidence in the case had been thoroughly reviewed before reaching the decision.
