Leaders ponder over setting up military courts again

Civil, military leadership agree to bring constitutional amendment; say military courts played important role in war against terrorism

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to start consultations with parliamentary groups in the national legislatures to re-establish the military courts in different parts of the country to carry out trials of hardcore terrorists.

The action is being taken in view of the efficacy of the courts during its two-year mandated period of time, which ended last week. The civil and military leadership discussed the issue at a meeting here on Monday under Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the Prime Minister's House, which was also attended by Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General Naveed Mukhtar.

The meeting emphasised that military courts have played an extremely important role at a very crucial juncture of action against extremism and terrorism and translated the actions under the Operation Zarb-e-Azb to meaningful and tangible national gains. The federal government has already initiated consultations for a constitutional amendment for further continuation of the military courts for a period agreed by all the political parties represented in parliament. The meeting agreed to bring a constitutional amendment for the purpose.

It has been officially stated that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired a high-level meeting on Pakistan’s foreign relations that reviewed internal and regional security situation in detail with a view to further strengthen the gains made through counter-terrorism operations. The participants reiterated Pakistan’s clear-cut policy of zero tolerance against terrorism and extremism to accomplish internal peace as well as supplement its foreign policy initiatives. The meeting resolved for continued efforts at all levels to achieve national policy objectives. The participants agreed that Pakistan would continue its efforts for attaining internal peace and play its due role for a peaceful region. 

According to an inside story of the meeting, the participants took stock of the situation of Pakistan’s ties with the countries of the region and had a candid discussion on it. Indian designs and especially its acts for suppression of people of held Kashmir (IHK) with reference to serious breach of the Line of Control (LoC) also came up for discussion. The sources said the consultative meetings would continue in coming weeks as subjects of national significance were discussed in extremely cordial ambiance. The meeting was also attended by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Special Assistant to PM on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi, National Security Adviser Lieutenant General (R) Nasser Khan Janjua, Secretary to PM Fawad Hasan Fawad, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry and other senior officials.

Parliamentary sources told this reporter that the government has already initiated consultations for setting up military courts on senior officials’ echelon while the process would continue at the larger scale from today (Tuesday) when the parliamentary group leaders will have their meeting convened by Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq. The meeting will commence at 11:00am in the chamber of the speaker in close-doors. All groups represented in the National Assembly have consented to attend the meeting including the groups belonging to opposition.

Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid will brief the parliamentary group leaders meeting about legislation process in the Parliament on the subject. It is unlikely that any major parliamentary group would oppose the establishment of military courts but some groups would also express their reservations in the matter, the sources said. The government had set up military courts on January 6, 2015 with sunset clause of two years. The courts were constituted through a constitutional amendment that came about in the wake of December 16, 2014 tragedy of Army Public School Peshawar where about 146 innocent students were martyred by the callous and brutal terrorists.