Govt challenges SC military court order

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Defence has filed intra-court appeal challenging the Supreme Court’s October 23 judgement, declaring as unconstitutional the trial of May 9 rioters in military courts, ARY News reported.

On October 23, the Supreme Court (SC) announced its verdict by 4-1 in pleas against civilian trials in the military courts. The PTI chairman and others moved the top court challenging the military trial of civilians named in the May 9 riots triggered by the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust case.

The bench, led by Justice Ijazul Ahsan and including Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, and Justice Ayesha Malik heard the petitions that had challenged the trial of civilians in the military courts

The petitioner appealed to the apex court to declare the five-judge bench’s order null and void, as well as grant a stay on the implementation of the order till this appeal is decided.

The latest petition comes a day after the caretaker Sindh government challenged the Supreme Court’s decision against trials of civilians in the military courts.

The plea moved by the Sindh government has stated that ‘SC did not review the law and circumstances.’

Earlier, the federal government informed the Supreme Court that military courts have initiated trials of civilians.

The government in a miscellaneous petition to the apex court informed it about the beginning of trials of civilians in response to the court’s August 03 order.

A total 102 individuals were arrested after May 09 and 10 incidents, the government said in its plea to the court.