Military courts authorised to conduct in-camera hearing

ISLAMABAD: On a summary initiated by the Ministry of Defence, President Mamnoon Hussain has approved on Tuesday the prime minister’s advice and signed and promulgated the Pakistan Army Act (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015. As a result, military courts have been provided legal cover to hold in-camera proceedings of terrorist-related cases.
It may be mentioned here that after the promulgation of this Act, the military courts will be given constitutional cover.Under this Act, whatever steps the military courts will recommend for the protection of presiding officers, prosecutors, defence lawyers, witnesses and the heads of the proposed military courts for the hearing of cases of terrorists will be given legal and lawful cover.
The military courts have also been given the power to issue orders for open or in-camera hearings of any case of terrorism under this Ordinance.This Act will also be implemented on past crimes, and hearings can be conducted through video link and the latest technology can also be used in this regard.