Military courts granted conditional authority to announce reserved verdicts

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) on Thursday granted conditional authority to military courts to announce the reserved verdicts, ARY News reported.

As per details, a six-member larger bench headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, comprising of Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Shahid Waheed, Justice Musarat Hilali and Justice Irfan Saadat Khan heard the case.

The top court stated that verdicts should be announced in those cases of May 9 violence where the accused could be released before Eid.

At this, Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan assured the court that legal concessions will be given to those who have lesser sentences.

However, the top court sought a report regarding the proceedings and adjourned the hearing till the last week of April.

The apex court was moved to challenge the Oct 23 apex court verdict against trials of civilians in the military courts.

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 petitioners pleaded with the superior court to nullify its verdict until the decision on the review plea as the accused demanded their trial in the military courts.

The government, in a report to SC, said that 102 individuals were arrested after May 09 and 10 incidents in its plea to the court.

According to the application, a total of 102 persons were taken into custody for their involvement in the attacks on military installations, including GHQ Rawalpindi, Corps Commander House Lahore, PAF Base Mianwali, ISI Establishment Civil Lines Faisalabad, Sialkot Cantonment, Hamza Camp, Gujranwala Cantonment, and Bannu Cantonment.

The accused have been taken into custody under the Pakistan Army Act, 1952, read with the Official Secrets Act, 1923.