Islamabad, September 12, 2023 – In a landmark decision today, the Supreme Court of Pakistan dismissed all appeals seeking to review the sentences of retired Colonel Azad Minhas and retired Colonel Inayatullah. The two former army officers had been convicted and sentenced in 1995 for their involvement in a plot to overthrow the government led by the late Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
The field court martial in 1995 had sentenced Colonel Azad to two years of imprisonment with hard labor and dismissal from service, while Colonel Inayatullah was sentenced to four years of imprisonment with hard labor and dismissal from service.
The judgment, read out by Justice Muneeb Akhtar, confirmed the sentences, which had previously been upheld by the Lahore High Court. The appeals to reconsider their sentences were filed in 2016 after the Lahore High Court’s rejection.
The 1995 coup plot involved four military officers and a civilian who conspired to overthrow the then-PPP government. The government of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto took swift action to thwart the coup attempt, leading to the arrest and subsequent trial of the individuals involved.
This decision by the Supreme Court marks the end of a long legal battle for the retired colonels. It reaffirms the judiciary’s stance on maintaining the rule of law and upholding the sanctity of the democratic process.
The coup plot of 1995 remains a significant chapter in Pakistan’s political history, and its consequences reverberate through the years, including the tragic assassination of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on December 27, 2007, following an election rally in Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh. She was reportedly killed by a 15-year-old suicide bomber, an event that sent shockwaves throughout the nation and the world.
The Supreme Court’s decision today further emphasizes the importance of upholding democratic values and the rule of law in Pakistan’s evolving political landscape.
