ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have opposed government’s recommendation to extend tenure of military courts by three years on Thursday.
The government has forwarded the draft to opposition parties seeking their approval.
The development has come in after Speaker of the National Assembly, Ayaz Sadiq chaired a meeting of parliamentary leaders in the federal capital to discuss the issue. The participants were briefed in the meeting by National Security Adviser Nasir Janjua.
Minister for Law and Justice, Zahid Hamid presented a proposal to extend tenure of army courts by three years after it expired in 2016. While talking to the media after the session, NA Speaker informed that a sub-committee has been formed comprising of Shireen Mazari, Shazia Marri, SA Iqbal Qadri, Zahid Hamid and Naeema Kishore who would convene a meeting on February 22. The sub-committee would identify possible legal issues with the draft, Ayaz Sadiq added. He further said that all the parliamentary parties have copies of the draft and would agree or disagree with the proposal in a meeting that is scheduled on February 27.
Military courts were established early 2015 after the government brought an amendment in the Constitution of Pakistan for speedy trails of terrorists. The action was taken as the nation mourned attack on Army Public School in Peshawar on December 26, 2014 that claimed lives of over 130 innocent students.
However, the tenure of the courts expired in December 2016 and the government and political parties are attempting to strike a consensus over a possible extension since then.—INP
