SC dismisses convict's petition in Sialkot lynching case

LAHORE: The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition for suspension of sentence of a convict in Sialkot lynching case.

The two-member bench headed by Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik heard the petition filed by convict Asghar Ali, at the Supreme Court Lahore Registry. Earlier, Additional Prosecutor General Punjab Mazhar Sher Awan submitted that the convict along with others lynched two brothers - Mughees Sajjad and Muneeb Sajjad. He submitted that the trial court handed down life term sentence to the convict after he was found guilty. He pleaded with the court to dismiss the petition for suspension of sentence.

However, defence counsel submitted that the convict was present on the occasion but he did not play any role in lynching. He pleaded with the bench for suspension of the sentence.

The bench after hearing arguments of the parties dismissed the petition for suspension of the sentence.   In 2010, a mob had lynched two brothers- Mughees Sajjad and Muneeb Sajjad in Sialkot in the presence of police, suspecting them as dacoits.

In 2011, Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Gujranwala awarded death sentences to seven of the accused, life imprisonment to six and three-year jail term to all of the police officials involved. The Lahore High Court dismissed the appeals of 13 convicts against their sentence in the case while acquitting police officials on benefit of doubt.