Politicians divided over setting up of military courts

Karachi
Political parties expressed mixed reactions over the adoption of the 21st Constitutional Amendment Bill and the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill 2015 by the Parliament on Tuesday. The laws are aimed at setting up constitutionally-protected military courts to try civilian terrorism suspects.
With some seeing the amendment as the beginning of a new era for the country while others terming it as a means to protect “political terrorists”, the reactions of political parties are at the extremes.
Congratulating the nation, Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain said the setting up of military courts would herald a new era in the country’s history.
He said the adoption of the amendment with consensus of nearly all the political parties was a clear sign that the nation
was united for rescuing the country from terrorists.
He appeared confident that the National Action Plan (NAP) against terrorism would help restore peace in the country.
Welcoming the decision to set up military courts, Functional League’s Imtiaz Sheikh said it was the entire nation’s demand.
He said the Peshawar tragedy had united the nation and all the political parties. He hoped that the amendment’s passage would eradicate terrorism.
Awami National Party Sindh General Secretary Younus Buneri termed it a historic decision.
Condemning the opponents of the amendment, Sunni Tehreek chief Sarwat Qadri demanded its implementation and sought execution of all terrorists at the earliest.
The Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen saw the amendment as a good step towards meting out stern punishments to terrorists.
Nawaz League’s Ghous Ali Shah said the amendment was the need of the hour and it would result in positive changes for the nation.
Criticising the NAP, Quaid League Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh said the government should not take one-sided action against religious seminaries.
Admitting that reforms were needed at madrasas, he said if seminaries were singled out, it would cause hatred in society.
The Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) said the amendment was aimed at turning Pakistan into a secular state.
Expressing support for Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Fazl-ur-Rehman, the party said the government had provided shelter to “political terrorists” through the amendment.
Criticising action against madrasas, the ASWJ said religious seminaries were working within the ambit of law.