Dispelling fears: In Senate, PM Nawaz defends special courts

Says all stakeholders unanimously supported these courts.

ISLAMABAD:

Amidst an increasing buzz around the proposed special trial courts to be headed by military officers, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday sought to dispel fears voiced by different political leaders, saying that these tribunals would only try terrorists. 

“If we do not take corrective measures today, then we may not be able to defeat terrorists tomorrow. As the prime minister of Pakistan it is my duty to find a cure and an end this menace [of terrorism],” he told lawmakers in the upper house of parliament.

The prime minister said that the extraordinary situation compelled him to prefer national interest over personal interests. “How can I forget the coffins of innocent children, how can I forget that terrorists beheaded our soldiers and played football with their heads. How can I prefer my personal interest out of fear that the military courts might also try me,” he said.

However, he clarified that his government could not think of taking any extra-constitutional step in order to establish the special courts. “All stakeholders have unanimously agreed to form these courts. This decision was not made by just one man,” he said referring to the December 24 huddle of all parliamentary parties that had approved the National Plan of Action against terrorism which besides other things envisages establishment of special courts.

The prime minister said these courts would only try terror suspects and for that matter “we have prepared a draft for parliamentary approval”.



Responding to detractors who say these courts would infringe upon fundamental rights guaranteed in the Constitution, Nawaz said he knew that every citizen has fundamental rights. “But the children of Peshawar also had these rights,” he said. “We will take revenge of every single drop of our children’s blood.”

Earlier in a meeting with an 18-member Afghan parliamentary delegation, Premier Nawaz said that Pakistan and Afghanistan were committed not to allow territories to be used against each other. “Our two countries want to make this region peaceful, progressive and prosperous,” he added.

The delegation – comprising members from both houses of the Afghan parliament – was led by International Affairs Commission Chairman Abdul Qader Zazai and Senator Baz Muhammad Zormati. The Afghan MPs are in Islamabad to attend the 12th session of the dialogue between parliamentarians of Pakistan and Afghanistan, arranged by the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (Pildat).

The prime minister said a peaceful, stable, united and prosperous Afghanistan was in Pakistan’s vital interest. He recalled the new Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s maiden visit to Pakistan and the London Conference on Afghanistan and said the two countries were committed to transforming mutual relationship.

He also spoke about the ongoing military offensive in North Waziristan Agency and said Operation Zarb-e-Azb has dismantled terrorists’ network and their infrastructure.

The prime minister thanked the Afghan government and people for expressing support for Pakistan after the December 16 Peshawar school massacre.

“Afghanistan is very close to my heart and I have fond memories of the place,” he said, adding that he was longing to see the same Kabul that it used to be in the 60s and the 70s and wanted peace and tranquility to return to the country.

The Afghan delegation strongly condemned the December 16 terrorist attack and said peace was in the best interest of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They said Afghanistan valued Pakistan’s commitment towards lasting peace. The delegation also invited Prime Minister Sharif to visit Afghanistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 1^st, 2015.