Military Courts extension issue comes to a logical end

Military Courts extension issue comes to a logical end

ISLAMABAD: Military Courts issue in Pakistan seems to come to a logical end as the major political parties have finally reached an agreement over the issue of extension in Military Courts.

Parliamentary parties have agreed on a two-year extension for  military courts, and an amendment bill will be tabled in the National Assembly on Friday, reported Waqt News.

National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq said parliamentary parties had agreed to four out of the nine recommendations of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

“We have reached an agreement on the extension of military courts. The government will table the amendment bill tomorrow in the National Assembly,” said Sadiq.

The PML-N had tabled the 28th Constitutional Amendment Bill and the Army Act Amendment Bill 2017 in the National Assembly last week for input from all political parties but the parliament could not adopt the bills that would have legalised trials before military courts after the PPP rejected them.

"The PPP totally and roundly rejects any statement purportedly issued by any official agency creating a false and erroneous impression of the PPP having agreed to the draft proposals of the government," PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar said in a statement.

Military courts in Pakistan have been accused of fostering human rights abuses and criticised for a lack of transparency and accountability. They had ceased to function after expiry of tenure earlier this year.