Mr. Sharif's lawyers said they would appeal, insisting that too much weight had been given to the testimony of Aminullah Chaudhry, the former head of the civil aviation authority and the man who claimed to have received Mr. Sharif's orders to waylay the jet. Mr. Chaudhry, at one time a defendant, won release by becoming a state's witness.
''He purchased his freedom with the neck of another person,'' said defense lawyer, Manzoor Ahmed Malik.
The case was heard in Pakistan's anti-terrorism court, a venue for heinous crimes and speedy trials that had been instituted by Mr. Sharif himself. Indeed, the prime minister had wanted to ban any appellate process, though other lawmakers thought this draconian. As it stands, appeal from the anti-terrorism court must be filed within seven working days. A higher court then has a month to decide. A further appeal can be made to the Supreme Court.
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