Military courts still needed, says Shujaat

LAHORE:Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) president and former Prime Minister Ch Shujaat Hussain has said military courts are still needed even today and the matter should not be brushed aside through statement mongering.

Talking to the media here on Sunday, Ch Shujaat Hussain said this is not understandable that of what those who are opposing military courts today are afraid. According to the army spokesman, 717 cases were heard by the military courts in four years.

Military courts successfully decided 648 cases as a result of which 345 culprits were awarded death sentence, he added. Ch Shujaat Hussain said: “This fact should not be ignored that entire civil and military leadership had supported the approval of the National Action Plan. In four years National Action Plan points, which were about the Armed Forces of Pakistan, have been completed but regretfully the civilian institutions have not completed the work about the National Action Plan.”

Ch Shujaat Hussain said: “After the APS tragedy in the heads meeting Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari, incumbent Prime Minister Imran Khan, Asfand Yar Wali, Aftab Sherpao and myself including other parties chiefs and General Raheel Sharif were also present.

All had unanimously supported the National Action Plan and afterwards Maulana Fazlur Rehman had led the prayers.” Ch Shujaat Hussain said those who had signed the National Action Plan should not indulge in any criticism now and should not back out from it.