ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Monday again requested the Supreme Court (SC) to form a full court for hearing pleas against trials of civilians in military courts, ARY News reported.
The federal government in its plea stated that Army Act and Official Secret Act were present before the Constitution. “The actions under both the acts are in accordance with the law.”
The trial under the Army and Official Secret Acts give the right of fair trial to the accused.
The federal government pleaded with the SC to form a full court to hear the pleas against the military courts as the matter is highly sensitive and important.
It may be noted that Supreme Court (SC) will take on the pleas challenging trials of civilians in the military courts on July 18 (Tuesday).
A six-member bench headed by CJP Justice Umar Ata Bandial will take up the pleas. Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, and Justice Ayesha Malik will be the other members of the bench.
Notices had been served to the respondents for the hearing.
Read more: SC to hear pleas against military courts on July 18
On the last hearing, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial hoped that no civilians would be tried in military courts until the outcome of proceedings against them in the Supreme Court (SC).
Earlier, the seven-member bench of the Supreme Court was dissolved after Justice Mansoor Ali Shah recused himself from hearing over the reservations raised by the federal government.
Military trials
In the month of May, the government decided to try the suspects accused of attacking military installations on May 9 under army laws.
Violent clashes broke out across Pakistan after the former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was arrested from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on May 9.
Army installations, Corps Commander’s house in Lahore and General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi came under attack during a protest by PTI workers.
