Military Courts to be revived: Sources
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ISLAMABAD: Federal Government has decided to restore the Military Courts in the country.
The government plans to table a bill in the National Assembly to make room for extension in military courts, a spokesman said Thursday, amid scepticism to revive special courts to try civilians charged with terrorism.
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq said a sub-committee made up of government and opposition members has been constituted to deliberate upon the draft, reported Radio Pakistan.
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.
Military trials of terrorism suspects were legalised in January 2015 with lawmakers and the military arguing that civilian courts were unable to process cases swiftly because many judges feared becoming victims of revenge attacks.
The courts have since delivered 275 convictions, including 161 death sentences, and carried out 12 executions. These courts do not allow the right to appeal and judges are not required to have law degrees or provide reasons for their verdicts.
