SC to hear intra-court pleas against military trial verdict on Dec 13

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court will take up from Dec 13 (Wednesday) a set of intra-court appeals (ICAs) moved to challenge the Oct 23 apex court verdict against trials of civilians in the 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.

A six-member bench headed by Justice Sardar Tariq will hear the petitions moved by the federal government, defence ministry, the Punjab, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan governments requesting the suspension of the operation of Oct 23 short order during the ICAs pendency.

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.