Daily Times

Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor Friday said the military courts have not been set up on the army’s wish but were needed by the nation and approved by the parliament following a national and political consensus.

“There was a wave of terrorism in the country. After the 2008 military operations gained momentum, many terrorists were arrested,” the ISPR DG told a private TV channel. “Country’s criminal justice system at that time was not quite effective in dealing with the terrorism cases, hence the military courts were established after a unanimous approval from the parliament,” he said. “It was decided through national consensus that military courts should be established and death penalty be revived,” he said.

Maj Gen Ghafoor said 717 cases were referred to the military courts in the last four years, 646 of which have already been disposed of. He said there is a transparent system through which the cases are transferred to the military courts. “The accused are also provided an opportunity to defend themselves” he revealed. “These cases have no link with the missing persons,” he asserted.

The ISPR chief said terrorism incidents have decreased after the establishment of the military courts which have also created a sense of fear among the terrorists. “Military courts have sent a clear message to the terror outfits, militants and their handlers that they will be punished,” he said.

Maj Gen Ghafoor said it is up to parliament to decide if an extension should be granted to the military courts. “The decision on extension to military courts rests with the parliament,” he said, adding that the lawmakers will decide the fate of the military courts “keeping in view the current security situation, and the impact produced by these courts”. “We will do what parliament tells us to,” he said, adding that the previous extension to the military courts was also given by the public representatives. “The decision has to be taken with consensus,” he said. “However, it needs to be seen whether the country’s criminal justice system has now become effective enough to deal with the terrorism cases,” he added.

Earlier this month, the law ministry forwarded the summary for another extension to the military courts to the federal cabinet for approval. The tenure of military courts, which were established after the 2014 Peshawar attack, is set to expire in March.

Published in Daily Times, January 19^th 2019.