Tenure of military courts expire as PMLN govt comes under pressure

In what appeared to bow to the banned Deobandi terror outfits, PMLN government had not extended the tenure of military courts that were established under 21st amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has said that no suggestion pertaining to extension in time period of military courts has been under consideration. The statement came hours before the expiry of 21st Amendment on Friday night. The 21st amendment allowed formation of military courts to try civilian suspects of terrorism for a period of two years since January 6 2015.
Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf has already said that terrorism-related cases will now be forwarded to Anti-Terrorism Courts (ATCs), as the term for military courts expires on January 7.
Sources with the Ministry of Interior said that from tomorrow, around 160 cases being tried in the military courts will be handed over to ATCs.
Pakistan’s political leadership, days after the Army Public School Peshawar attack that left over 140 people — majority children — dead in December 2014, had agreed to set up military courts for two years to cope with the scourge of terrorism that claimed thousands of lives over the recent years.
Representatives of political parties had then unanimously approved a resolution during a meeting of parliamentary parties chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.