Military courts’ extension bill presented in NA

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid on Monday moved the 28th Amendment Bill 2017 in the National Assembly, which pertains to the revival of military courts for another two years.

Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq said that the voting on the bill will be carried out on Tuesday.

The bill recommended a two-year extension in the term of military courts. It also demanded implementation of the law of evidence during the proceedings.

The other points of the bill recommended that the suspect should be brought in front of a court within 24 hours and be entitled to have a lawyer of his choice.

The parliamentary parties on Thursday had reached a consensus on establishing military courts in the country for another two years. The bill in this regard was tabled in the National Assembly today.

Pakistan People’s Party President had earlier put forth a nine-point set of recommendations to the government over the extension in military courts’ tenure. The party had earlier boycotted the All Parties Conference sessions held on the subject.

PPP leader Aitzaz Ahsan said they had reservations on the 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 the two-year term for military courts," he had explained.

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.