ISLAMABAD: The two-year tenure of military courts, established after the attack on Army Public School in Peshawar by terrorists, will end on Saturday.
These courts were set up after the unanimous decisions at an All Parties Conference (APC) chaired by Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on January 7, 2015. The APC was participated by former President Asif Ali Zardari, PTI Chairman Imran Khan and the leaders of other political parties. The National Action Plan (NAP) was also established under the APC decisions.
Meanwhile, the BBC in its report said the government has decided to make legislation after opposition of the PPP in extending the tenure of military courts set up to try terror suspects. The tenure of military courts will not be extended but effective legislation will be put in place to combat anti-state elements, it added.
It said the new legislation will have provisions to protect judges, witnesses and prosecutors, and to govern jail trials, use of forensic data, etc.
Advisor to the Prime Minister on Law, Barrister Zafrullah Khan in a media interview said the ministry is working on several alternatives to military courts, including setting up new civilian courts to try hardcore terrorists.
“The working of these proposed courts will be different from others and the names of judges of these courts – which will be finalised after consultation with the chief justice – will be kept confidential during trial,” he added.
He added that a final decision on the fate of military courts or its possible alternatives will be taken by the federal cabinet.
The PPP spokesperson, Senator Farhatullah Babar, opposing extension in the military courts, said that besides the terrorists, the criminals of general cadres were also convicted by these courts.
At the time the law was introduced, MPs and the military argued that civilian courts were too slow for terrorism cases needed to be dealt with swiftly, since many judges, fearful of revenge, were reluctant to deliver verdicts.
