Military courts: PPP may hum same tune after ‘ritual’ opposition

Government hopes for a breakthrough in talks with main opposition party

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has stepped up lobbying efforts to a secure two-thirds majority in parliament to pass a constitutional amendment for the revival of military courts as it hopes for a possible ‘breakthrough’ despite the apparent opposition of the main opposition party, the PPP.

The ruling party believes that the situation could be ‘managed’ even if PPP remains opposed to the reconstitution of the military courts on the government’s terms.



The PPP’s major demand to specify ‘religious terrorism’ in the draft amendment has been accepted by the government and is part of the related bill laid out in the National Assembly on Friday. This implies that the PPP may support the government after some ‘ceremonial’ opposition.

Sources in the PML-N told The Express Tribune that the party leadership had decided to go ahead with securing the required strength in parliament while keeping the option of backdoor contacts with the PPP open even though the opposition party is set to move amendments in the constitution to reconstitute military courts.

They said the PPP would not bring a separate bill but suggest amendments in the government’s bill. Given that the PPP is not in majority in the NA, the amendments are likely to be rejected by majority vote. Yet, this could give the opposition party a ground for ‘face-saving’ while at the same time it could pave way for the acceptance of the government’s bill.

A senior PML-N leader, wishing to be kept unnamed, said the government’s bill can sail through both the lower and upper houses even if the PPP showed apparent hostility.

He compared the existing scenario to what he described was a similar situation involving deadlock between the government and opposition on the bill to probe mega corruption scandals, not long ago.

In September last year, the federal cabinet approved the Commission of Inquiry Bill 2016, a generalised draft to probe corruption cases including Panamagate case. To counter this bill, the PPP moved Panama Papers Inquiries Act 2016 which is specific to probing Panama leaks scandal.



The opposition’s bill was tabled in the Senate where the PPP has majority while the government’s bill was tabled in the National Assembly where PML-N is in majority.  The government managed to have its bill passed from the NA while opposition got its bill sailed through Senate. In an interesting turn of events, the government’s Commission of Inquiry Bill 2016 was unanimously passed by the Senate on Wednesday with slight amendments.

The PPP that was strongly opposed to the bill silently conceded to the government’s bill by staying ‘neutral’ during voting and not raising any objection.

The PML-N leader, however, admitted that the situation was more challenging this time considering that the passage of Commission of Inquiry Bill required simple majority and any constitutional amendment like that of the one seeking reconstitution of military courts required two-thirds majority.

Speaking on the issue, the PTI’s spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry said the PTI has decided to support the military courts because there is no short-term alternate to them. The JI chief Sirajul Haq also confirmed that his party has decided to side with parliamentary forces to support government on military courts.

“We stand by our decision. It’s the need of the hour,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2017.