In the capital Islamabad, Senate opposition leader...

In the capital Islamabad, Senate opposition leader Aitzaz Ahsan asked President Rafiq Tarar, in a letter, to refrain from sending to the gallows people sentenced by military courts until the Supreme Court had ruled on their validity. He said he was not making an appeal as a partisan or a party-man. "I address you pro bono publico, in the interest of the public, the nation, the law and the constitution." Aitzaz said the President had allowed an execution to take place despite the fact that the action was, prima facie, contrary to the view of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and despite the fact that a petition challenging the constitution of the military courts was pending in the Supreme Court. "The State cannot descend to the level of the criminal. It cannot take the law into its own hands and deny justice to its people. That is the difference between the State and the individual. If the State becomes lawless it will cease to exist, as the criminal must who takes the law into his own hands. The State must, (and, I repeat, must), under all circumstances, act in accordance with the law and the Constitution."