Law allowing military courts to try suspects on terror charges expires
- By Web Desk -
- Jan 07, 2017
ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani law allowing secret military courts to try suspects on terrorism charges expired on Saturday.
Lawmakers amended the constitution in January 2015, responding to an attack by Pakistani Taliban fighters on a military-run Army Public School in Peshawar that killed scores of children but inserted an expiry clause to keep the measure temporary.
According to media reports, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar said no proposals were under consideration at the moment with regards to a renewal amendment of the military courts since they were created for two years only.
All pending cases of the military courts would now continue in anti-terrorism courts now, added Nisar.
A total of 275 cases were referred to the military courts and 12 convicts executed, said the interior ministry. The tribunals sentenced 161 people to death and handed jail terms, mostly life sentences, to 113.