Condition of evidence law, choice lawyer accepted

Military courts

Deadlock on duration still persists; bill set to be tabled in NA today

ISLAMABAD: The government claimed on Thursday that the condition of law of evidence and lawyer of choice had been accepted by all the political parties with regard to military courts but a deadlock on the issue of their duration still persisted.

The government is set to table the constitutional amendment bill for the revival of military courts for another two years and the Army Act Amendment Bill in the National Assembly today (Friday) after reaching a consensus with all the parliamentary parties, except the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

After Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s claims in his press talk that the PPP had withdrawn from its point to appoint sessions or additional sessions judge in the military courts in the parliamentary leaders meeting held here on Thursday under Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, the PPP rubbished the claims saying it had not agreed to the draft legislative proposals prepared by the government for the revival of military courts.

Even PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Sheikh Rashid Ahmed also claimed in a press talk that the PPP had dropped its nine-point proposals and agreed to a two-year extension in the military courts.

“The PPP totally and roundly rejects any statement purportedly issued by any official agency creating a false and erroneous impression of the PPP having agreed to the draft proposals of the government,” said the PPP spokesman Senator Farhatullah Babar in a statement following media reports that the PPP had agreed to a two-year extension in the military courts while withdrawing its nine-point proposals.

Babar said media reports about the PPP having agreed were not correct.Though the PPP had stuck to its position, all the other parliamentary leaders agreed in the meeting to support the government’s constitutional draft for two years extension in the military courts.

Talking to the media after meeting with the parliamentary parties’ heads, he said it was decided that the government would lay the Constitutional Amendment Bill and Army Act Amendment Bill in the National Assembly.

After the meeting of the parliamentary leaders, the PPP team comprising Aitzaz Ahsan and Farooq H Naek did not talk with the media and went directly to the Zardari House to brief Asif Ali Zardari.

PPP Information Secretary Chaudhry Manzoor told the media after the party’s in-house meeting that the PPP will move its own amendment as it did not agree to drop any of the amendments proposed by the party.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar announced that the government will present a bill on extension in the military courts in parliament today (Friday).Talking to newsmen after the parliamentary leaders meeting, he claimed that the Pakistan People’s Party had already agreed to revival of military courts for two years.

He said any amendment to the bill could be made in parliament and all members of the house had the right to bring amendments to the bill.“All members of parliament have the right to bring their amendments in the house for debate and discussion for legislation.” He said a two-year consensus had been evolved in the meeting for the military courts.

Dar said the Pakistan People’s Party had withdrawn from its point to appoint sessions or additional sessions judge in the military courts. He said there was no objection to the Evidence Act and Right of Judicial Review as all these points were already clearly mentioned and defined in the Constitution.