SC to announce ruling on establishment of military courts tomorrow

Apex court reserved on June 27 its ruling in a case challenging 18th and 21st constitutional amendments

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court is due to announce its judgement regarding the establishment of military courts as per constitutional amendments on Wednesday.

The apex court on June 26 had reserved on Friday its ruling in a case challenging the 18th and 21st constitutional amendments.

The lengthy legal battle reached the highest court in the land a few months ago when 17-judges of the Supreme Court started examining petitions challenging the procedure of appointment of judges under the 18th Amendment and the establishment of military courts under the 21st Amendment to try militants in the wake of last year’s bloody Peshawar school rampage.

After intense legal wrangling, the apex court considered three questions regarding the validity of the 18th and 21st constitutional amendments and is expected to issue its ruling based on them.

Read: SC reserves ruling on 18th, 21st amendments

The questions were whether or not the amendments have a constitutional structure, whether the 21st amendment is in contradiction with the Constitution and if the top court has the authority to annul the amendments in question.

After nearly five days of marathon hearings, Attorney General (AG) Salman Aslam Butt, who represents the federal government in the case, wrapped up his arguments before the top court on Friday.

Meanwhile, legal experts had described the matter as a landmark case in the judicial history of Pakistan. Talking to the The Express Tribune, Chaudhry Faisal Hussain, a lawyer, had said the court was expected to settle some core issues.