'SC judges opposed bench hearing pleas against military courts'

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Friday said two senior judges of the Supreme Court (SC) recused themselves from a nine-member bench hearing petitions against military courts, ARY News reported.

Speaking in the National Assembly on Friday, the interior minister said two SC judges suggested CJP first decide on the Supreme Court Practices and Procedure Act and then hear the pleas against military courts.

Exactly after 31 minutes, CJP formed a 7-member bench to hear the pleas by rejecting the reservations of the senior judges, Rana Sanaullah said.

The minister observed that it is not the prerogative of the courts to issue stay orders on the legislation of the Parliament. He said the decision of the Supreme Court bench, hearing the petitions against trials of civilians in military courts, should be in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Pakistan.

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“Decisions which are not met on the grounds of justice, have no worth”.

Rana Sanaullah further said that those involved in attacking military installations and desecrating martyrs’ memorials must be brought to justice.

He said the nation has no sympathies with the gangsters involved in the May 9 incidents and wants them to be brought to justice.