Tuesday in ISLAMABAD, the Supreme Court put off making a judgement on a petition submitted by members of civil society contesting the trial of civilians by military courts.
The decision is slated to be made tomorrow (Wednesday) at 11.30 a.m.
The bench comprising CJP Umar Ata Bandial, Ijazul Ahsan, Munib Akhtar, Yahya Afridi, Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, and Ayesha A Malik had already denied the federal government’s request to convene a full court for the case.
However, earlier this week, attorney Faisal Siddiqi moved a new application requesting the same on behalf of members of civil society.
Other petitioners’ lawyers have shown trust in the current six-member bench, including those of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader and former CJP Jawwad S. Khawaja and veteran politician Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan.
They argued against bringing the case to a larger court.
In the meantime, Attorney General of Pakistan Mansoor Awan argued in court that civilians were investigated with extreme caution.
No innocent bystanders were tried in military courts; only those actively involved. They were sent to military courts,” he stated, referring to those who broke into the Lahore Corps Commander’s home.
Supreme Court Stresses Appeal Rights for May 9 Rioters
The AGP elaborated on the arrests made after May 9 by telling the court that seven suspects were in custody for attacking the military’s General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, four suspects were in custody for attacking the Army Institute, 28 suspects were in custody for vandalising the Lahore Corps Commander’s House, 15 suspects are in custody for the attacks on army garrisons in Multan and Gujranwala, and eight suspects were in custody for attacking an office of
In addition, 14 suspects were apprehended after the attack in Chakdra, seven after the attack on the Punjab Regiment Centre in Mardan, three after the attacks in Abbottabad, and ten after the attack on the Bannu Garrison.
On May 9, the AGP turned in a report documenting all attacks on military installations and revealing that 102 individuals had been transferred to military prosecutors for trial.
As the trial progressed, however, Justice Ayesha pointed out that the magistrate’s orders did not explain why suspects were being transferred to military courts.
It seems just images were obtained in the “name of evidence,” as Justice Naqvi put it.
The full bench’s judgement from the highest court has been requested, thus the hearing has been postponed until tomorrow.
