The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has lifted the stay order on the death sentences of five former Pakistani Navy officers convicted by a field general court-martial. The stay, which had been imposed on June 4, temporarily halted the execution of the officers who were found guilty of involvement in the September 6, 2014, attack on the Karachi Naval Dockyard.
The petition filed by the officers—Arslan Nazir Sati, Muhammad Hamad, Muhammad Tahir Rashid, Hamad Ahmed, and Irfan Ullah—was dismissed by Justice Babar Sattar.
The petition sought access to the inquiry report and the court-martial judgment, but the court ruled against the petitioners after their lawyers confirmed that the documents had been provided and reviewed.
Previously, Navy officials refused to release the Board of Inquiry report, citing national security concerns. The court noted that the incident was an act of terrorism and not simply a matter of public right to information.
The five officers were sentenced to death on May 24, 2016, for charges including links to the terrorist group ISIS, mutiny, conspiracy, and smuggling weapons onto the dockyard. Reports indicate that the attackers intended to hijack the Pakistani Navy ship PNS Zulfiqar to target a U.S. Navy vessel. Security forces foiled the plot, killing two attackers and capturing four others.
This decision by the IHC clears the way for the execution of the death sentences, barring any further legal appeals or challenges.
