ISLAMABAD (INP): The federal government has once again requested the Supreme Court (SC) to form a full court for hearing pleas against trials of civilians in military courts. In its plea on Monday, the federal government stated that Army Act and Official Secret Act were present before the Constitution. “The actions under both the acts are in accordance with the law.”
The trial under the Army and Official Secret Acts give the right of fair trial to the accused. A full court should be formed to hear the pleas against the military courts as the matter is highly sensitive and important, the federal government pleaded with the SC.
It may be noted that Supreme Court (SC) will take on the pleas challenging trials of civilians in the military courts on July 18 (Tuesday). A six-member bench headed by CJP Justice Umar Ata Bandial will take up the pleas. 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 had 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.
During the month of May this year, 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.
Court orders handover of 14-year-old married girl to her parents: Pronouncing a decision in the case of abduction and marriage of an underage girl, the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday ordered that a 14-year-old girl and her two kids be handed over to her parents until investigation in the case was complete.
A two-member bench of the SC, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial, ordered Khanewal police to complete investigation in the case in one month and also ordered medical examination of the child in order to ascertain her real age. The apex court also ordered Mehwish’s, the girl, husband to stop teasing his wife and cooperate with the police in the investigation. In his petition, girl’s father had said that his daughter was 12 years old when the suspect kidnapped her and then married her.
CJP Bandial remarked that the girl’s age was by no means ripe for marriage, while Justice Ayesha Malik expressed her indignation over her early marriage. “Her husband could even be sent to jail for marrying an underage girl,” she said, and asked the police about the inquiry conducted in the case so far.
Pleas against mily courts: SC requested for full court
