The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) has allowed civilian trials in military courts.
The court approved the appeals filed by the Ministry of Defence and other parties. It also restored the previously nullified clauses of the Army Act, specifically Sections 2(1)(d)(i), 2(1)(d)(ii), and 59(4).
A seven-judge Constitutional Bench, headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, and comprising Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Musarrat Hilali, Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan, and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan had been hearing the case since November 2024.
The court has directed the government to legislate within 45 days to ensure the right of appeal.
The court has also ordered amendments to the Army Act to allow appeals in high courts against decisions of military courts.
Last year, the apex court’s constitutional bench granted conditional permission to military courts to announce verdicts in cases involving 85 suspects involved in the May 9, 2023, riots.
The military also accepted mercy pleas of 19 out of the 67 convicts sentenced in the May 9 riots case on “humanitarian grounds”.
What happened on May 9?
Protests broke out nationwide on May 9, 2023, following the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan by Rangers within the premises of the Islamabad High Court.
Some protesters also targeted military facilities, such as the Corps Commander House in Lahore and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.
Following this, hundreds of workers were arrested.
