Hard justice: Swat jirga demands military courts

Slam Asma Jahangir’s comments, demand eye for an eye.

SWAT:

Peace Committees and Nepki Khel Aman Jirga Friday strongly condemned the finger pointing by civil society and the lawyers’ community over extrajudicial killings in Swat.

The elders of the Tehsil Kabal called a joint meeting of the Peace Committee Tehsil Kabal and Nepki Khel Aman Jirga in which they said they will cooperate completely with the Pakistan Army. They had a detailed discussion on progress towards peace and stability in Swat and demanded that military courts be set up in the valley.

Abdul Jabbar Khan, former nazim of Matta Tehsil and an elder, said, “We obey the law and the constitution, but the ground reality in Swat should not be ignored. Severe punishment should be given to those who hanged beheaded corpses in the squares to spread terror in the valley. This is not possible without military courts.”

He added, “Where were these upholders of human rights when extremists shed the blood of innocents by slitting their throats?”

Criticizing the remarks passed by Supreme Court Bar Association President Asma Jahangir during her recent speech, Jirga President Saifullah Khan said, “There is no fact in the accusations laid out by Asma Jahangir [regarding extrajudicial killings in Swat].

Peace has been restored through the sacrifices of the Pakistan Army. We now openly challenge the escaped extremists to fight us face-to-face.”

He was of the opinion that people from all walks of life in Swat should get united on one platform against the “barbaric” powers that hung beheaded bodies upside down.

Feroz Shah, an elder of Nepki Khel Aman Jirga, was also for military courts. “There must be military courts in Swat to decide the future of the terrorists,” he said.

Nepki Khel Aman Jirga consist of elders of civil society, lawyers and other leaders of the area, but their demand for the establishment of military courts is being called unjust and unwise as the constitution of Pakistan does not allow for civilians to be tried by military courts.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2011.