Pak legal experts oppose 'release of terror suspects on bail'

Peshawar, Apr 26(ANI): Pakistan's legal experts have said that the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance 2009 will become ineffective if courts in the country begin ordering the release of terror suspects on bail under Article 199 of the Constitution.

They insist the ordinance is aimed at preventing courts from releasing persons charged with terrorism.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari had promulgated the ordinance in October 2009, barring anti-terrorism courts from granting bail to terror suspects.

Under Section 21-D of the ordinance, superior courts' powers to grant bail vis-a-vis terrorism cases were also curtailed, The Daily Times reports.

However, on April 21, the Peshawar High Court's (PHC) special division bench comprising Chief Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and Justice Dost Mohammad Khan said that arrested persons charged under the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance 2009 could file writ petitions under Article 1999 with the superior courts for release on bail.

Disapproving the decision, PHC lawyer and Peshawar High Court Bar Association (PHCBA) Secretary General, Ameenur Rehman, said the ordinance was aimed at stopping the release of terror suspects from courts on bail.

He said dozens of terror suspects had been released on bail by the PHC and anti-terrorism courts after the public prosecution and state lawyers had failed to prove charges against them. (ANI)