A court in Pakistan today stayed the execution of an accused and suspended the death penalty given to him by a military court in the assassination of Amjad Sabri, one of the country's finest Sufi Qawwals.
Sabri, 45, was travelling in a car in Karachi's congested Liquatabad 10 area when two motorcycle-borne gunmen shot him in the head in a targeted terror attack on June 22, 2016.
In April, Pakistan Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa had approved death penalty for 10 terrorists including those who shot dead Sabri.
Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court Waqar Ahmed Seth suspended the death sentence of Arish, who was convicted by the military court for killing Sabri.
The convict's counsel Azizuddin Kakakhel told the court that his client was deprived of the right to defence, saying he was sentenced to death without any witness and evidence.
The court suspended the death sentence and adjourned the hearing till September 9.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Hakimullah Masood group had claimed responsibility for the attack on Sabri. The killing had sparked countrywide protests.
Some of the most memorable and famous qawwalis of the Sabris were 'Bhar Do Jholi Meri', 'Tajdar-i-Haram' and 'Mera Koi Nahin Hai Teray Siwa'.
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