ahlam1399
01-14-2017, 05:02 AM
https://www.thenews.com.pk/assets/uploads/akhbar/2017-01-14/l_179108_041813_print.jpg ISLAMABAD: In case the PML-N fails to achieve a political consensus to win a new life for the recently-abolished military courts, the government is considering setting up courts for trial of terrorism cases with secret judges and prosecutors.
Official sources said that there is a proposal to have such courts in order to encourage them to speedily decide terrorism cases without any fear. The proposal, which has been recently firmed up, ensures that ** one would have any idea about the identity of both the judge and prosecutors of these courts.
These courts will be set up, according to the proposal, with the merger of the existing Anti-Terrorist Act and the recently-lapsed Protection of Pakistan Act (POPA) 2014.
It is believed that unless the protection of judges and prosecutors involved in the trial of terrorism cases is ensured, there can’t be speedy and fair trial of terror suspects.
The military courts, set up through the 21st Constitutional Amendment, have expired on January 7 as the constitutional amendment had envisaged only two-year life for these tribunals. The military courts were constituted in the first week of 2015 following the Dec 2014 Army Public School attack.
Most of the political parties were primarily against the setting up of military courts but they had to accept it as a “bitter pill” because of the failure of the criminal justice system to effectively try and punish terrorists.
Following the lapse of 21st Amendment, the government decided to re-approach the political parties for yet a**ther constitutional amendment under which the military courts could have a new life to try terror suspects.
Speaker National Assembly has already held a meeting with leaders of different political parties, having representation in parliament, but some of them including the PPP, JI and JUI(F) have serious reservations.
Although, the speaker expects all these parties to meet again on January 17th to evolve a consensus for the revival of military courts, the PPP in its meeting on Thursday decided to oppose the reconstitution of military courts tooth and nail.
Media reports suggest that there is a consensus within the party that the PPP will **t support the proposal for the reconstitution of military courts. It is said that even former president and President Pakistan People’s Party-Parliamentarians Asif Ali Zardari has directed PPP leaders to oppose the move and take a hard stance in the upcoming meeting of the heads of the parliamentary committee, which was summoned by the Speaker National Assembly on January 17.
A cabinet minister in the Nawaz government, when contacted, still sounded optimistic that the opposition including the PPP may agree to the revival of military courts in the best public interest.
However, in case of failure, the government intends to push its proposal for making a new law with the merger of Anti-Terrorist Act and Protection of Pakistan Act for setting up of anti-terrorism courts with secret judges and prosecutors.
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Official sources said that there is a proposal to have such courts in order to encourage them to speedily decide terrorism cases without any fear. The proposal, which has been recently firmed up, ensures that ** one would have any idea about the identity of both the judge and prosecutors of these courts.
These courts will be set up, according to the proposal, with the merger of the existing Anti-Terrorist Act and the recently-lapsed Protection of Pakistan Act (POPA) 2014.
It is believed that unless the protection of judges and prosecutors involved in the trial of terrorism cases is ensured, there can’t be speedy and fair trial of terror suspects.
The military courts, set up through the 21st Constitutional Amendment, have expired on January 7 as the constitutional amendment had envisaged only two-year life for these tribunals. The military courts were constituted in the first week of 2015 following the Dec 2014 Army Public School attack.
Most of the political parties were primarily against the setting up of military courts but they had to accept it as a “bitter pill” because of the failure of the criminal justice system to effectively try and punish terrorists.
Following the lapse of 21st Amendment, the government decided to re-approach the political parties for yet a**ther constitutional amendment under which the military courts could have a new life to try terror suspects.
Speaker National Assembly has already held a meeting with leaders of different political parties, having representation in parliament, but some of them including the PPP, JI and JUI(F) have serious reservations.
Although, the speaker expects all these parties to meet again on January 17th to evolve a consensus for the revival of military courts, the PPP in its meeting on Thursday decided to oppose the reconstitution of military courts tooth and nail.
Media reports suggest that there is a consensus within the party that the PPP will **t support the proposal for the reconstitution of military courts. It is said that even former president and President Pakistan People’s Party-Parliamentarians Asif Ali Zardari has directed PPP leaders to oppose the move and take a hard stance in the upcoming meeting of the heads of the parliamentary committee, which was summoned by the Speaker National Assembly on January 17.
A cabinet minister in the Nawaz government, when contacted, still sounded optimistic that the opposition including the PPP may agree to the revival of military courts in the best public interest.
However, in case of failure, the government intends to push its proposal for making a new law with the merger of Anti-Terrorist Act and Protection of Pakistan Act for setting up of anti-terrorism courts with secret judges and prosecutors.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/com/cwEr/~4/Rft93xzgZ2s
أكثر... (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/com/cwEr/~3/Rft93xzgZ2s/179108-Govt-mulls-over-courts-with-secret-judges-and-prosecutors)