ISLAMABAD, Nov 23: A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Sheikh Riaz Ahmad, on Friday commuted death sentence awarded to Waseem alias Bhayia to life imprisonment.

The bench heard various portions of the case in detail, including registration of FIR and recording of witnesses, and converted the death sentence into life imprisonment. Other members of the bench were Justice Mian Mohammad Ajmal and Justice Syed Dedar Hussain Shah.

According to the details of the case, three accused,including Saeed Mueez, Waseem alias Bhayia and Tariq, were involved in a “bhatta” collection case which, was registered in Karachi on May 22, 1999, under the Terrorist Act and tried in the Anti-Terrorist Court. The court sentenced all the them to death.

On an appeal filed by the accused, the Sindh High Court upheld the capital punishment for two of them, including Saeed Mueez and Waseem alias Bhayia, and commuted the death sentence awarded to Tariq to life imprisonment.

On an appeal by Waseem alias Bhayia, the bench converted the death sentence into life imprisonment.

Sardar Mohammad Ghazi, advocate, appeared on behalf of Waseem alias Bhayia.

The bench also directed the respondent to hold an inquiry regarding the case, specially against Mohammad Aslam, SHO, Saeedabad, Karachi, and present a report within three days to the court.—APP