Military courts’ establishment similar to admitting failure of our system: Asif
March 11, 2017
SIALKOT: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Saturday that though he is in favour of military courts, establishing such courts is synonymous to admitting that our present system has failed.
Addressing the District Bar Sialkot, the minister said, “Those who have pointed their guns on us, and on whose target is our society, country and our system, were armed 25 years ago by the then state.”
“The goals were different then; but no one would have thought that the same guns would be turned on us,” he said.
“No one knew that we would legislate and bring a constitutional amendment to punish them.”
The government on Friday tabled a draft bill in the National Assembly seeking amendment in the constitution for establishment of these special courts.
The bill was tabled by State Minister for Law Zahid Hamid on Friday for the revival of military courts for another two years.
The draft stated that the country is going through extraordinary circumstances where terrorist organisations pose a threat to its existence. In such a situation, extraordinary measures must be taken, Hamid said on the floor of the assembly.
The bill calls for action against armed groups using religion to spread extremism and terrorism. It says that terrorism in the country is being funded by both local and foreign anti-state organisations.
