Pakistan Ex-Servicemen Society President Lt-Gen (retd) Abdul Qayyum Malik has said that the wave of terrorism has increased across the country in the wake of the decision by the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) against trial of civilians in the military courts.
Last month, a five-judge bench of the apex court unanimously declared the trial of civilians in military courts as null and void and ordered that the 103 accused in cases relating to the violence on May 9 and 10, 2023 be tried under ordinary criminal laws. The court through the 4-1 majority also declared certain clauses of the Army Act as ultra vires the Constitution and of no legal effect. “The military courts are given a false colouring. The SC’s decision regarding the military courts needs to be reviewed,” Malik, who was flanked by his retired colleagues, said while addressing a press conference at the Rawalpindi Press Club on Monday.
“Even the cases of heinous murders last for 20 to 25 years in the civilian courts and in the end, the accused are not punished due to lack of witnesses,” he said and added that there was a dire need for judicial reforms in the country.
Malik went on to explain that no politician or anyone accused of corruption will be tried in the military court. “Only those who work against the national security will be tried there,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 7th, 2023.
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