Spokesman Report
ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC) likely to announce verdict on pleas challenging trials of civilians in military courts, on Tuesday.
A seven-member bench — comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Ayesha Malik, and Justice Mazahir Ali Naqvi, is hearing a set of petitions against military trials after a nine-member bench was dissolved as Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Tariq Masood recused themselves from the hearing.
We desire to get the results by Tuesday, CJP was quoted as saying while hearing the case. The apex court also directed to avoid harassing lawyers and journalists. “Don’t want to pass judicial order on the issue.”
During the hearing, CJP Bandial remarked that the army can request the anti-terrorism courts to get the custody of civilians for their trial under military laws.
“It’s common sense that crimes under the Official Secrets Act are to be determined by the army itself and it can request anti-terrorism courts seeking the custody of civilians for trials under army laws,” the top judge remarked.
However, he noted that there was no solid reasoning provided by the military. “We will ask this from Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan.
The further hearing on the case has been adjourned until Monday at 9:30 in the morning.
Punjab govt’s report
The Punjab government submitted a report to the SC regarding arrests of suspects ‘involved’ in the May 9 riots.
The top court had asked the authorities to provide details during the hearing of pleas challenging the trials of civilians in military court.
According to the report submitted by the Punjab AG, a total of 6,088 people, including 81 women, were arrested following the May 9 violence۔
The report further said 1,888 people were arrested in the May 9 riots under the Terrorism Act. 108 accused are currently on physical and 1,247 are on the judicial remand. As many as 500 people were released as innocent after the investigation.
The report added that there are 247 cases under other laws are registered against the accused involved in the May 9 incidents۔ So far, 1,201 people have been acquitted and 3012 have been released on bail in various cases۔
The Punjab government also submitted data about the arrests of females in the May 9 riots. According to the report, 81 women were detained out of these, 42 were released on bail, while 39 women are currently imprisoned on judicial remand۔