JUI-F opposes extension in military courts

CHARSADDA: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said on Monday that his party was not in favour of giving an extension to the military courts.

"In principle, we are not in favour of giving an extension to the military courts to continue functioning as concerns were raised on the manner in which the cases were dealt with," he pointed out.

He was talking to reporters after offering condolences to the heirs of a prominent religious scholar Sheikhul Hadith Maulana Matlaul Noor in his village in Charsadda district.

The two-year period of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution is going to expire on January 7 next month.  The amendment was signed into law by the president on January 7, 2015 after the attack  on the Army Public School, Peshawar, in which 147 persons, including 132 schoolchildren, were killed and scores were injured.

The amendment was aimed at paving the way for setting up military courts to try civilian suspects on terrorism charges. Maulana Fazl said the military courts failed to ensure fair trials and fulfill the requirements of justice. He believed that innocent people were hanged on basis of incomplete investigation into the cases.

"The military courts couldn't meet the requirements of justice. Strong reservations have been expressed over the dealing of cases by these courts. In some cases innocent people were executed on the basis of incomplete investigation," he elaborated.

The Maulana also raised serious questions over the National Action Plan (NAP) and claimed that religious seminaries were specifically targeted under the plan. "Religion and people belonging to a specific section of the society are targeted in the NAP. And when a specific section is targeted, it means that the requirements of law and justice have not been fulfilled," he maintained.

Responding to a question about the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) demands from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to resign, the Maulana said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak should first resign over the corruption allegations against him.

The JUI-F chief said that the politics of the opposition parties lacked direction as the government is criticised needlessly.  He said that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar had announced to defend whatever was said in the Quetta Commission report against him and there was no need for making hue and cry over the issue anymore. 

Regarding the growing tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Maulana Fazl said that developing mutual trust between the two countries was need of the hour. He opined that peace and stability in Afghanistan was in the best interest of Pakistan. He said that Afghanistan shouldn't complain about Pakistan.

"Afghans are our brothers. We are also Afghans. The people of the two countries have blood relations as they share the same culture and traditions and practice the same religion. We will not let anyone create misunderstanding and division between us," he stressed.

The JUI-F chief said that Pakistan wanted to maintain good relationship with Afghanistan and Islamabad expected Kabul to reciprocate in the same manner.