Pakistan's top court permits military trials for civilians

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - Pakistan's top court on Friday conditionally permitted military courts to issue verdicts in cases involving civilians arrested for their alleged role in violence in May last year.

Justice Aminuddin, heading the Supreme Court's constitutional bench, granted the military courts the authority to announce their reserved judgments. However, according to the court order, these decisions will remain contingent on the Supreme Court's final ruling in the pending cases.

Approximately 85 individuals have been held in military custody since May 2023.

In October last year, the Supreme Court declared the trial of civilians in military courts as "unconstitutional."

Subsequently, the government filed an appeal against the ruling, urging the top court to permit the continuation of military trials for civilians.

On Dec. 13 last year, the court conditionally suspended its October decision until a final verdict on the intra-court appeals.

On Friday, Justice Aminuddin directed the authorities to release civilians eligible for concessions and transfer other suspects from military custody to jail.

The arrests followed violent incidents on May 9, which included attacks on military installations after the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in a corruption case. Some of the detainees have been tried under the Army Act.