Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Tuesday said supporting an extension to the military courts will be ‘difficult’ for his party. However, he added, the party had not been contacted by the government on the matter so far.
Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, Bilawal also responded to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s statement that the opposition wanted an NRO-like deal to evade accountability. He said neither did they ask nor do they want to strike any deals with the government. “The prime minister does not attend National Assembly sessions … he does not know the importance of parliament,” he observed. “Imran Khan had pledged to attend parliamentary sessions regularly but like his earlier promises, he failed to fulfil this one as well,” he added.
Earlier this month, the law ministry had sent a summary for a second extension to military courts to the federal cabinet for approval. Opposition parties have opposed the move, arguing that the law and order situation in the country is satisfactory and there is no need to further extend the military courts. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif, however, on Monday spoke in the favour of military courts, and hinted that his party could consider supporting an extension if approached by the government.
Published in Daily Times, January 16th 2019.
