Military courts given extension

National Assembly on Tuesday passed 'The Constitution (Twenty-Eighth amendment) Bill, 2017' and 'Pakistan Army (amendment) Bill, 2017' with amendments with overwhelming majority of 255 votes in favour and four against it to constitute military courts for a period of another two years. Law Minister Zahid Hamid presented these bills in the House for passage.
All the amendments presented by members of Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Jamshed Dasti and Jamaat-e-Islami were rejected, while amendments introduced by the government were adopted. Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and Jamshed Dasti opposed the bills, while the JUI-F abstained from vote citing their reservations. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also attended the proceedings.
The House also adopted a motion to constitute Parliamentary Committee on National Security to keep a check on the implementation of the National Action Plan and discuss matters pertaining to urgent security issues. These bills would now be presented in the Senate for a vote today (Wednesday).
JUI-F member Naeema Kishwar Khan said that her party has abstained from the vote on these bills because the government has not omitted "misuse of religion or sect" from the constitutional amendment. Jamshed Dasti demanded that blasphemers, plunderers of national wealth and people working against integrity of the country should also be tried under the military courts, but the government rejected his amendments.
ANP member Ghulam Ahmed Bilour expressed his reservations over constitution of the military courts, saying terrorism will end only if the mindset of the people is changed. He also blamed the government for not implementing the National Action Plan, saying his party is supporting constitution of the military courts with a heavy heart.
Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians member Nafeesa Shah said the formation of military courts is a negation of Constitution, democracy and fundamental rights. "The military courts are being established under a doctrine of necessity and this also compromises supremacy of the civilians," she said. While opposing establishment of the military courts, Dasti said that both opposition and the government have compromised on the military courts to protect their vested interests.
Responding to all these points, Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar said that it is need of the hour to establish the military courts and it is not an unusual step as the United States and European countries have also taken extraordinary measures to curb terrorism.
He said the government is committed to introducing judicial reforms to enable civil courts to handle terrorism-related cases. "We are faced with the extraordinary challenge of terrorism and that's why it is demand of the nation to revive military courts," he said.
The minister admitted the government could not fully implement the National Action Plan, but it would now take necessary steps to curb terrorism and extremism in the country. He also informed the House that members of Senate were also taken on board to build consensus for constitution of the military courts for a period of another two years.
After passage of the bills, Law Minister Zahid Hamid moved a motion to empower Speaker National Assembly to constitute a Parliamentary Committee on National Security with consultation of the chairman Senate.
The parliamentary committee is mandated to discuss matters pertaining to urgent national security issues, oversee implementation of the NAP, monitor process of transition from military courts to civil courts through criminal justice reforms and present periodic reports in both the Houses. The government agreed to rephrase terms of references (ToRs) of the committee following suggestions by Naveed Qamar, Aftab Sherpao and Shireen Mazari.