Military courts to be conditionally extended for two years: speaker NA
- By Web Desk -
- Mar 16, 2017
ISLAMABAD: Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq on Thursday said military courts would be conditionally extended for two years and a bill in this regard would be submitted in National Assembly on Monday, ARY News reported.
“Four out of the nine points of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)’s proposals have been agreed upon. A committee comprising parliamentarians would be formed on national security to regularly monitor military courts and implementation of all security actions,” he said while addressing a press conference along with senior parliamentary leaders of different political parties.
He said since Pakistan was in a state of war, hence the parliamentary leaders have decided to conditionally extend the military courts.
The NA would give go-ahead for legal document of the military courts as a legal parliamentary process, he said adding it took them one and a half month to deliberate over extension of the military courts.
Ayaz Sadiq said all parties, except Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUI-F) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), have agreed upon the decision. While, JUI-F and JI would be consulted in this regard on Friday.
“JUI-F and JI have submitted suggestions to amend the bill which would be discussed in a meeting tomorrow,” he said.
The military courts were established after the tragic incident of Army Public School attack in 2014. These courts have executed dozens of terrorists so far.
Read More: Parliamentary leaders agree over draft of military courts law
PPP leader Aitzaz Ahsan said the PPP had compromised on some of their points of demand, while their basic points were accepted.
“Our fundamental demand of forming a committee comprising parliamentarians has been accepted,” he said admitting that the country was in a state of war and the enemies had made entire the country a battle ground.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar thanked all the parliamentary leaders and the speaker NA over their consensus in this regard.
PTI Shah Mehmood Qureshi said spirit of the consensus is that any particular religious community will not be targeted. He said all the political forces of the country have shown flexibility to extend military courts’ term and hopefully the matter will turn out in favor of Pakistan.