Parliamentary parties reach consensus on military courts' extension

ISLAMABAD: The parliamentary parties Thursday reached a consensus on establishing military courts in the country for another two years, for which a bill will be tabled in the National Assembly next week.

Speaking at a press conference together with heads of parliamentary parties, Speaker of the National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq said that extension in term of military courts is a national issue and that all parties have agreed on establishment of special courts for a period of two years.

"The bill will be presented in the National Assembly on Monday, where the heads of parliamentary parties will debate on it. After approval from the National Assembly, it will be presented in the Senate," Sadiq said.

"All political parties rose above individual interests to make a decision in national interest," he said.

Pakistan People's Party leader Aitzaz Ahsan said they had reservations on two-year extension, for the government failed to do anything in the last two years.

"Now that the government has accepted our four basic demands, so we have also agreed on two-year term for military courts," he explained. "We will get some clauses invoked, but there has been a consensus on the issue."

The military courts set up in the aftermath of the Army Public School Attack in 2014, expired after their two-year-period in January this year. All cases being tried in the military courts were transferred to the anti-terrorism courts.

However, a wave of terrorism which hit the country last month leaving over a hundred people dead resumed the debate on setting up military courts for speedy trial and conviction of terrorists.