



The Lahore High Court (LHC) has directed the Punjab Home Department to grant remissions earned by Brigadier (retired) Ali Khan who was sentenced to five years imprisonment for his links with a banned religious outfit.





The LHC’s Rawalpindi bench on Wednesday directed the Punjab Home Department to grant the remissions Ali had earned while serving his jail term.Justice Shahid Abbasi and Justice Abdul Sami Khan of the LHC accepted the petition filed by Ali through his lawyer Tanveer Iqbal for grant of earned remissions. The decision was reserved by the LHC on December 21, 2015.Advocate Iqbal, while talking tosaid that Ali was tried under military and anti-terrorism laws.He said that the petitioner was convicted by a general court martial in August 2012 and handed down five years rigorous imprisonment.Iqbal said that underthe army act and anti-terrorism act, the convicted persons were not eligible for the same remissions as other convicts.He said that the petitioner had pleaded to the court that he had earned certain remission through good behaviour, imparting education, and obtaining education in the jail.He said that Ali was also entitled for remissions granted on account of Eid and national days.The petitioner’s lawyer further said that Ali submitted an application to the Punjab Home Department for grant of earned remissions but they turned down his request.Advocate Iqbal said that the LHC had declared that the petitioner could be granted remissions that he had earned in the jail.He said that it was the duty of jail authorities to have count of the remissions that Ali had earned.Iqbal noted that approximately one year could be granted as remission to the petitioner.It may be mentioned here that Ali and four army majors were convicted for having linked with banned Hizbut Tahrir in August 2012.Published in The Express Tribune, January 28, 2016.