Challenge to mly courts trial politically motivated: Khawaja Asif

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said on Thursday there were political motives behind challenging the trial of civilians in military courts, in the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan.

Speaking on the National Assembly floor, Asif criticised those who approached the SC to challenge the trial of civilians in military courts, saying the practice of trying civilians in military courts was not new.

He said during the previous regime, military courts convicted 24 to 25 civilians, while cases were also endorsed by the judiciary.

Kh Asif said petitioners should not compromise the country’s dignity for political gains. “Security personnel, who are our benefactors, continued to give sacrifices in the ongoing war against terrorism,” he said.

The minister, once again, condemned the May 9 acts in which memorials of martyrs and military installations were attacked. The minister highlighted that political workers were allegedly incited by their leader to assault the state.

He also highlighted the importance of respecting each institution’s boundaries, cautioning against encroachment, saying that such acts could lead to a confrontation and hurt the national interests. “Parliament will not allow any trespassing on its jurisdiction,” he said.

Meanwhile, taking part in the budget debate, Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Shazia Marri said the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) was not a charity, rather it was the right of people. She said the BISP budget had been increased significantly as social security was becoming an important issue in the country.

Shazia pointed out that the children enrolment in schools had also increased from 3.7 million to 7.4 million due to Benazir Bhutto Shaheed education scholarship. “We are trying to increase enrolment to 9.2 million children,” she said.

The minister said the role of all institutions was defined by the Constitution, saying that supremacy of Constitution was a must for strengthening of democracy. “The PMLN and PPP also signed a charter of democracy to strengthen democracy,” she said.

Federal Minister of Science and Technology Agha Hassan Baloch drew attention of the house to law and order situation in Muhammad Akhtar Mengal area, stating that two armed groups were currently engaged in a challenging situation in Balochistan province. He requested the government’s intervention to address law and order concerns in the area.

Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Rana Tanveer Hussain, while referring to a notification issued by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) banning the Hindu festival in universities, said the letter had been withdrawn. He said all minorities in Pakistan enjoy complete freedom and they were free to practice their religion. The chair also termed issuance of notification illegal and contrary to the Constitution.

Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, on a point of order, demanded wheat to people of Chitral on subsidised rate, saying all political parties had made the same unanimous demand. He said the people of Chitral had been staging sit-ins for acceptance of their demands, saying that protestors had also warned that before the start of Shandur Festival, the Chitral-Shandur road would be blocked.

Federal Minister Mian Javed Latif said punishment to abettors and planners of May 9 incidents should be given, saying action against them should not be left incomplete. “The May 9 incidents exposed their nefarious designs,” he said. He said May 9 had also exposed misdeeds of those who launched an individual. He asked what service was being done in a building adjacent to the Parliament House, saying that reduction in the size of a bench from nine to seven judges hearing petitions against trial of civilians in military courts would also give birth to a debate like whether it was 4-3 or 3-2 verdict.

Javed Latif said Ali Wazir was detained for 26 months for delivering a speech in the House, questioning as to why an individual could not be arrested even for 36 hours. He regretted that not even a single miscreant involved in May 9 actions had been punished so far.