Military courts, Army Act bills sail through NA

Both bills pass by majority vote; 255 votes in favour, four against; amendments of JI, MQM and PkMAP rejected; bills to be tabled in Senate today

ISLAMABAD: The legislation for extension in the tenure of military courts for another two years got the National Assembly’s nod on Tuesday.

The Constitution (28th Amendment) Bill, 2017 sailed through the House by over two-thirds majority.In all, 255 members supported the amendment bill while four members voted against it. The Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill was also passed by majority vote.

Independent member Jamshed Dasti and three parliamentarians of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party opposed both the bills.The bills would be presented in the Senate on Wednesday (today) and after passage from the Upper House it will be sent to the president for assent.

The House also approved four amendments as agreed to by the government with the PPP at the parliamentary committee meeting.As per the amendments to the Constitution Amendment Bill, the accused would be produced before the court concerned within 24 hours, the accused would be informed about the grounds of arrest within 24 hours, the accused will have the right to lawyer of choice and provisions of Qanoon-e-Shahadat.

Under the bill, the tenure of military courts would be extended for the next two years effective from 7th January, 2017.The members of JUI-F abstained in protest against the rejection of their amendment through which they sought omission of the words ‘misusing’ the name of religion from preamble of the legislation.

The House also rejected the amendments of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP).The House also adopted a motion for constitution of a parliamentary committee to oversee the process for transition from military courts to civil courts through criminal justice reforms.

The house also rejected an amendment moved by Jamshed Dasti who wanted the military courts to also hear cases of blasphemy, actions against the integrity of Pakistan and financial terrorism.

Speaking on the bill, the law minister said keeping in view the extraordinary situation and circumstances constituting grave threat to the security and integrity of Pakistan from various terrorist groups, armed groups, wings and militia or their members, the Constitution (Twenty-first Amendment) Act, 2015 was passed enabling trial of cases related to terrorism under the Pakistan Army Act, 1952.

He said necessary amendments were also made to the Pakistan Army Act, 1952 through the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Act, 2015. He said these measures had yielded positive results in combating terrorism.

Earlier, winding up discussion on the bills, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said after the expiry of military courts on 7th January this year, the government, with the consensus of all the parliamentary political parties, decided to revive them.