SC rules in favor of civilian trials in military courts

While announcing its reserved verdict on Wednesday, the Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan ruled in favor of civilian trials in military courts.

As per media reports, a seven-member constitutional bench headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan had reserved the verdict earlier. The bench includes Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Musarrat Hilali, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Shahid Bilal.

The Supreme Court accepted government’s intra-court appeals and allow the civilian trail in the military courts. Justice Aminuddin Khan remarked that detailed reasons to be issued later.

The bench has ruled with a 5-2 ratio. Justice Mandokhail and Justice Afghan dissented from the majority verdict.

The constitutional bench has also restored all three sections of the Army Act, 21D, 2D2, and 59F.

The bench was constituted to hear intra-court appeals filed by the federal government and other petitioners seeking to restore military trials for individuals accused of inciting or participating in the May 9 riots, which followed the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan.

According to the short order, the apex court ruled that the earlier judgment declaring the military trial of civilians as unconstitutional “stands nullified.”

The court had earlier reserved its verdict after concluding arguments from all sides, including the Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) and the petitioners’ counsel.