On Monday, the National Assembly of Pakistan approved a resolution demanding that the individuals implicated in the May 9th incidents be prosecuted in military courts. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif proposed the resolution.
The resolution strongly condemned the group and its leaders responsible for the May 9th assaults on military facilities, greatly harming state institutions and the nation. It insisted on the prompt initiation of legal proceedings against all those involved, noting that even members and leaders of the offending party were disassociating themselves from the May 9th events.
In line with the law and the Constitution, the resolution assured that no human rights were breached in the actions taken against the offenders. It stressed that the military, in its capacity to respond to attacks on military bases worldwide, should bring to justice all the involved parties under the Pakistan Army Act of 1952.
During the assembly’s discussion, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif specified that existing laws were being employed to address the wrongdoings of May 9th, negating the need for new legislative measures. He mentioned that globally, incidents involving assaults on military installations are generally handled by military tribunals.
Asif clarified that anti-terrorism laws would be applied in terrorism-related cases, and cases under Article 16 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) would be addressed appropriately. However, those who targeted fighter jets and attacked the Bala Hisar Fort would be prosecuted under the Army Act.
Contrarily, Maulana Abdul Kabir Chitrali, a representative of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), objected to the trial of civilians in military courts, insisting that everyone, including the prime minister, the army chief, or the chief justice, should be subject to the same legal process.
