Pakistan Army spokesperson said an amnesty has been granted to 19 convicts involved in the May 9, 2023, incident, following their petitions for mercy and pardon. The convicts exercised their legal rights by submitting petitions for clemency.
In total, 67 convicts filed for mercy, of which 48 petitions were forwarded to the Courts of Appeal for further legal action. The petitions of 19 convicts were accepted purely on humanitarian grounds, in accordance with the law.
The remaining petitions will be processed in compliance with legal procedures within the stipulated time frame.
The names of the 19 convicts whose sentences have been pardoned are as follows:
- Muhammad Ayaz son of Sahibzada Khan
- Samiullah son of Meerdad Khan
- Laiq Ahmad son of Manzoor Ahmad
- Amjad Ali son of Manzoor Ahmad
- Yasir Nawaz son of Amir Nawaz Khan
- Syed Alam son of Muazullah Khan
- Zahid Khan son of Muhammad Nabi
- Muhammad Suleman son of Syed Ghani Jan
- Hamza Sharif son of Muhammad Azam
- Muhammad Salman son of Zahid Nisar
- Ashar Butt son of Muhammad Arshad Butt
- Muhammad Waqas son of Malik Muhammad Khaleel
- Sufyan Idris son of Idris Ahmad
- Muneeb Ahmad son of Naveed Ahmad Butt
- Muhammad Ahmad son of Muhammad Nazir
- Muhammad Nawaz son of Abdul Samad
- Muhammad Ali son of Muhammad Bhutta
- Muhammad Bilawal son of Manzoor Hussain
- Muhammad Ilyas son of Muhammad Fazal Haleem
All other convicts also retain the right to appeal and will have their legal rights upheld in accordance with the law and constitution.
Gujranwala-based convicts released
Later in the evening, six of the individuals whose sentences were commuted by a military court were released from Gujranwala Central Jail. They were identified as Sufyan, Muhammad Ahmed, Muneeb, Ashar Ahmed, Muhammad Nawaz, and Muhammad Waqas, each of whom were sentenced to two years in prison.
The sentences, issued on December 26, were pardoned after appeals by the families of the convicted individuals to the higher authorities of the establishment. Their pleas were accepted, leading to an order for their release. All six people were involved in the May 9, 2023, Gujranwala Cantt Police Station case.
Earlier in April 2024, a similar order was issued for the release of 20 convicts based on humanitarian grounds.
