SC adjourns case regarding civilians' trial in military courts sine die

ISLAMABAD (92 News) - The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday adjourned the case regarding the trial of civilians in military courts for an indefinite period.

During the hearing, PTI counsel Aitzaz Ahsan prayed to court to take a suo motu notice on the amendment to the Official Secret Act.

Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial remarked that the larger bench had decided that the CJP alone cannot take the suo motu notice. "The Bill is being discussed in the parliament. Let's see what the other House does with it," he observed.

He remarked that the court will defend the constitution and the people and stop the army from taking any unconstitutional act. "Very heinous incidents happened on May 9. The army should be applauded as it did not fire shots on the citizens," he observed.

Justice Muneeb Akhtar remarked that they could not leave the basic human rights to the discretion of the law-forming institutions. "The constitution itself has given the guarantee of the basic human rights," he observed.

The attorney general contended that the establishment of the military courts is particular to the defence matters.