past government.
Fundamentally, nothing much could be achieved through the military courts if the present criminal justice system is not revamped and overhauled to meet the expectations of the people.
Presently, it is said that only the hardened “black” terrorists would be tried by the military courts. Then the questions arise who would then try those who sexually molested and killed a 7-year-old in Lahore on Friday, who would punish the killers of two innocent children of 5 and 6 years of age whose bodies were found in a nullah in Lahore? Who would hang the rapist of a five-year innocent girl in Lahore, who would try and punish target killers, murderers, qabza and bhata mafia, corrupt and others?
You can’t refer every case to the military courts for summary trial. The government has to improve its criminal justice system on a war footing. Why the prime minister has no time and no interest for this despite the fact that it hurts the public at large.
From the lodging of FIR to police investigation, prosecution and judicial proceeding, the whole system is massively plagued in favour of criminals, violators of law, corrupt and mafias.
Some believe the military courts’ solution might not stand the test of judicial scrutiny but others argue that how could the judiciary overlook its own failures and the failures of criminal justice system. Pakistan direly requires a viable and sustainable solution to enforce an efficient, competent and responsive criminal justice system.
Military courts might be a transitory and odd choice for politicians, but in no way it could be termed a service to democracy and constitutional rule.
The ISPR DG Maj. Gen. Asim Saleem Bajwa may not like it, but his latest statement that formation of military courts is a step towards “greater democracy” is unwarranted and uncalled-for. He has to inform the media about the military’s professional matters, but overexposure in the media and too many statements and tweets including those issued in the middle of high-level meeting of political and military leadership, are bound to raise many eyebrows and generate controversies.