ISLAMABAD: The second hearing on the petitions filed against the trials of civilians in military courts will be held in the Supreme Court today.
A seven-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Atta Bandial will hear the petitions at 9:30 am.
The court has issued notices to the Prime Minister, Interior Minister, Defense Minister, Federation, the four provinces, and the Attorney General along with the Chairman PTI. Yesterday Aitzaz Ahsan’s lawyer Latif Khosa completed the arguments.
The court has currently rejected Latif Khosa’s plea to immediately stop the trial of civilians in military courts. The court has asked for the data of all the people arrested after the incidents of May 9. Today, lawyer Faisal Siddiqui will present arguments.
It should be noted that during the hearing of the case in the Supreme Court yesterday, the 9-member larger bench was broken after the objections of Justice Qazi Faiz Isa and Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, after which Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandial formed a new 7-member bench.
Read more: Supreme Court summons record of all civilians detained post-May 9
Justice Qazi Faiz Isa had taken the stand that this bench is not considered a bench, the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Bill should be decided first, we cannot sit on the bench until these laws are decided, while Justice Tariq Masood Justice Qazi Faiz Isa also agreed.
Later, a 7-member bench constituted by Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandyal heard the case. Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said that if anyone has any objection to this bench, then let them know first. Petitioner Aitzaz Ahsan said that no one has any objection to the formation of this bench. Attorney General also said that we have no objection either.
During the hearing, petitioner Aitzaz Ahsan’s lawyer Latif Khosa sought an immediate injunction against the trial of civilians in military courts, which was rejected by the apex court.
Later, the Supreme Court issued a written decree in the case and issued notices to the four provincial IGs including Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, Chairman PTI, IG Islamabad.
In the order issued by the Supreme Court, it was said that the details of the persons taken into civil and military custody should be provided.
