Civil-military huddle: Military courts poised to get an extension

Mandated period will be decided by political consensus

ISLAMABAD: The air of uncertainty surrounding the issue of military courts finally cleared on Monday after the federal government   announced it will introduce a constitutional amendment to extend the courts’ tenure for a period “to be agreed upon by all political parties represented in parliament”. Consultations are on in this context, the government said.

The development followed a top-level civil-military huddle presided over by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the Prime Minister House. Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Inter-Services Intelligence Director General Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi, National Security Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Nasser Khan Janjua and other senior officials attended the meeting.





“Military courts have played an extremely important role at a very crucial juncture of one action against extremism and terrorism and translated the actions under Operation Zarb-e-Azb to meaningful and tangible national gains,” a Prime Minister House statement said. The meeting reviewed internal and regional security situation in detail with a view to further strengthening the gains made through counterterrorism operations, it added.

The Express Tribune had on Sunday reported that a much-awaited meeting between the security command and the civilian government was expected soon where both the sides were likely to share their views on a number of crucial issues, including anti-terrorism laws, military courts and the National Action Plan (NAP).

The government has also moved up a meeting of parliamentary leaders of all National Assembly parties to today (Tuesday) to discuss the extension of military courts. The meeting was earlier supposed to take place on Wednesday.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said opposition parties will discuss the issue today (Tuesday) before holding meeting with the NA speaker. “I have contacted PPP, PML-Q, JI and other parties and we will exchange notes on military courts before the meeting with the speaker,” he said.

He recalled that these courts were set up under abnormal conditions to deal with abnormal challenges. “Military courts have done a great job and have drastically reduced terrorism but my question is: what has the government done in two years to strengthen criminal justice system?  Interior Minister Nisar earlier said cases of terrorism will now be handled by anti-terrorism courts. We want the government to clarify its policy – do they want to set up military courts? – and give us valid reasons for it,” Qureshi added.

Official sources told The Express Tribune that the government will put options regarding the extension of military courts’ term before NA leaders in today’s meeting. The options include introducing another constitutional amendment, amending the Criminal Laws Amendment Act, 2016 or restoring an amended version of the Protection of Pakistan Act.



Senior PPP stalwart and Leader of Opposition in NA Khursheed Shah said the government has not approached his party on military courts. “As and when we are approached on this issue, all options would be evaluated before taking a final decision. We would like to hear from the government what circumstances have prompted it to move for the extension and what alternatives are available.”

Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq said his party believes in strengthening civilian courts instead of seeking military’s help to take hardcore terrorists to task. “However, if opposition parties put their weight behind military courts, JI will stand by parliamentary forces.”

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Monday that military courts had played an important role in eliminating terrorism from the country. She said Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah’s statement about military courts was “based on his lack of knowledge regarding their establishment.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2017.