Pakistan: SC rejects plea seeking full court in civilians’ military trial case

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 3 (ANI): The Supreme Court of Pakistan rejected a plea seeking the constitution of a full court to hear a set of petitions challenging the trial of civilians in military courts, Geo News reported on Wednesday.

“Full court is not available till September,” Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial said while announcing a reserved verdict on Karamat Ali’s fresh plea filed on Monday.
The case was heard by a six-member bench, comprising CJP Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, and Justice Ayesha Mali.

The trials of civilians arrested for involvement in the May 9 violence have not been started yet, Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan informed the court at an earlier hearing, Geo News reported.

The CJP also expressed hope that the civilians would not be tried till the conclusion of the ongoing case.

While announcing the verdict, the CJP said that court holidays are going on while there are other engagements of the judges as well, which are being affected by this case.

He also said that a full court was formed by dissolving other benches on two occasions earlier, Geo News reported.

The Chief Justice then turned down the plea, saying a full court was not available till September.

Later, AGP Awan gave arguments on the matter of granting the right of appeal to people to be tried in military courts.

“The army men, who don’t have basic human rights, are tried in the military courts,” Justice Muneeb Akhtar said while asking how would the civilians, who have human rights, be tried in military courts, as per Geo News.

The AGP informed the court that he has taken up the matter of granting the right of appeal with the Cabinet Committee on Law.

He said that the adjutant general must be consulted on the legislation relating to granting the right of an appeal, and a number of issues must be considered in this regard.

CJP Bandial then directed the AGP to continue his arguments at the next hearing and adjourned the proceedings till tomorrow, Geo News reported.

On May 9, this year, former PM and PTI Chairman Imran Khan was arrested from inside the High Court in Islamabad by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on the charges of corruption in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust, which he owns alongside his wife, Bushra Bibi.

Following Khan’s arrest, his party called for demonstrations, which turned violent in many places. The administration resorted to a crackdown and many arrests were made across the country. The people accused in the May 9 violence are being tried at military courts.