KARACHI - The general court martial’s (GCM) death sentence against a former navy official in the PNS Zulfiqar attack case has been stayed by the Sindh High Court.
Former Pakistan Navy lieutenant Hassham Naseer had filed a petition against his conviction by the GCM and the rejection of his appeal by the navy’s court of appeals.
The petitioner, who joined the navy in 2008 and was posted at PNS Haider, was convicted along with other navy officers by the GCM in October 2015 for his alleged involvement in facilitating al Qaeda inspired attackers who wanted to hijack PNS Zulfiqar on September 6, 2014.
The navy, however, thwarted the attack and killed four of the attackers who were serving and former officials of the navy. The petitioner’s counsel told the court that his client was unlawfully detained for 11 months prior to his indictment by the GCM.