The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Friday said it was firmly sticking to its stance of opposing another extension in the tenure of military courts, which were set up in 2015 to try civilian terrorism suspects.
“NO to the military courts,” declared senior PPP leader Farhatullah Babar at a press conference in Karachi after a meeting of the party’s central office-bearers and senior leaders at the Bilawal House.
Stating the reasons behind the party’s stance on the issue, Babar said incidents of terrorism in Pakistan had witnessed a decline and therefore there was no justification for military courts. “Even if terrorism incidents had not declined, the military courts cannot do in 40 years [what] they haven’t been able to do in four years,” he said. “Secondly, when extraordinary laws implemented under extraordinary circumstances are extended, then after some time certain vested interests are created to protect such legislation,” he said, and cited the example of the Hudood ordinances and others laws from Gen Ziaul Haq’s era.
“PPP is opposing the military tribunals lest Pakistan’s judiciary is militarised and the military becomes judicialised,” Babar said, adding that such a situation would be very dangerous for the country.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and former president Asif Ali Zardari jointly chaired the meeting. Faryal Talpur, Yousaf Raza Gilani, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Aitzaz Ahsan, Raza Rabbani, Khursheed Shah, Shery Rehman, Farooq H Naik, Murad Ali Shah, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Humayoon Khan, Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed, Barrister Amir, Faisal Rathor, Nafeesa Shah, Faisal Karim Kundi, Nasir Shah, Waqar Mahdi, Saeed Ghani, Murtaza Wahab, Aijaz Jakhrani, Ser Buland Jogezai and Sheraz Rajpar were also present.
Published in Daily Times, January 19th 2019.
