Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has called a meeting of parliamentary leaders at the Prime Minister House on Friday (tomorrow) to address concerns that have arisen on the matter of military courts.
The Imran Khan led PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf) which had earlier endorsed the move, have since shown signs that they will renege on the commitments they had made during the December 24 meeting of parliamentary parties and key stakeholders, including the military’s top brass, who were present there
The government’s legal advisers are weighing the option of amending Article 8 (1) and Article 212-A and B of the constitution in order to establish military courts in the country.
Article 8 is titled ‘Laws inconsistent with or in derogation of Fundamental Rights to be void’, while Article 212 deals with administrative courts and tribunals.
If the amendments are carried out, changes will be made accordingly in the Army Act 1952 to set up special trial courts to try terror suspects. Under the proposed constitutional amendment, the military courts will cease to function after a period of two years.
Hopefully by that time the menace of militancy would have been effectively curbed
