SC to hear pleas against military courts on July 18

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday fixed pleas against trials of civilians in the military courts, for hearing, ARY News reported.

A six-member bench headed by CJP Justice Umar Ata Bandial will take up the pleas on July 18. 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 have been served to the respondents for the hearing.

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.

Read more: US aware of military trials after May 9 incidents: State Dept spox

The federal government noted that one of the petitioners, Jawwad S. Khawaja, was related to Justice Mansoor Ali Shah. Rescuing himself from the case, Justice Shah pointed out that this fact was highlighted at the very first hearing.

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.