Justice Mandokhail Said Crime Deserves Punishment Regardless of Trial Venue

During a Supreme Court hearing on March 4, 2025, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail emphasized that crimes should be punished irrespective of who commits them and the court in which they are tried. This statement was made during the court’s review of intra-court appeals challenging the October 2023 decision that nullified the trial of civilians by military courts for their involvement in the May 9, 2023 riots. Advocate Faisal Siddiqi, representing the petitioners, concluded his arguments, suggesting that cases of civilians given maximum sentences be transferred to anti-terrorism courts, while those who had served their terms be considered “past and closed transactions.” The hearing was adjourned until the following day.