Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial on Friday said that trials of the civilians involved in the May 9 riots should not begin in military courts without informing the Supreme Court of Pakistan, as per a report by the news outlet Dawn.A six-judge Supreme Court bench made up of CJI Bandial and Justices Ijazul Ahsan, Munib Akhtar, Yahya Afridi, Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, and Ayesha A Malik, were hearing a set of pleas challenging the legislation allowing military trials of civilians.#BreakingNews Establishment has approached Chief Justice of Pakistan to allow Military Courts with right to appeal in High Court for face saving of Army for its false flag operation of 9th May. People will wait to see what judgment comes now! History will judge the judges.— Adil Raja (@soldierspeaks) July 19, 2023“The trial of the accused in military court should not begin without informing the SC,” CJP Bandial told the Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan.This is not Zia-ul-Haqs era: Pakistan Chief Justice on military trials of civiliansLatif Khosa, the lawyer for petitioner Aitzaz Ahsan, remarked that the present situation of the country where civilians are being tried in military courts was reminiscent of what happened during the tenure of military dictator Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.“You cant compare the present era with the era of Zia-ul-Haq. This is not Zia-ul-Haqs era nor is martial law imposed in the country. Even if a martial law-like situation arises, we will intervene,” the CJP retorted.AGP Awan had earlier told the Supreme Court that the Pakistan government was willing to follow any suggestions to improve the process of military tribunals if the Supreme Court issued directions to the Army to ensure provisions of appeal against the convictions and that the sentence awarded should be within reasonable limits.On May 9, Pakistan experienced nationwide protests after the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, which led to the deaths of five people.“We have to prevent such incidents [from taking place] in the future,” the AGP said, justifying military trials for those involved in the riots. “There is a difference between a civil crime and a crime committed by a civilian.”
