Daily Times

LAHORE: Speakers at a panel discussion urged the need to revamp the judicial system for countering terrorism in Pakistan. They were speaking at a panel discussion titled ‘Who Are We Hanging? Revisiting Pakistan’s Counter Terrorism Strategy’ held at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) on Wednesday which was moderated by renowned journalist Rashed Rahman, military scientist and political commentator Ayesha Siddiqa, Human Rights lawyer and Justice Project Pakistan Director Barrister Sarah Belal and lawyer at Human Rights Watch Saroop Ijaz. Speaking on occasion, Sarrop Ijaz was of the view that on February 5, 2015, parliament unanimously formed military courts to execute terrorists as “Pakistan’s judicial system had failed to held accountable the terrorists”. He said that no reforms had been made in judicial system for last several decades. Ayesha Siddiqa said, “Extra judicial killings in our society means that we are not relying on judicial system as it cannot accommodate terrorists like Malik Ishaq. She said the operation in Punjab is not against militants, but it is against gangsters living in ‘Kachha’ area alongside river. “We are confused to differentiate between extremists and terrorists as people can become extremists without committing any act of terrorism.” Sarah Belal said that soon after the December 16, 2014 incident, the mandate of death warrants was given to military courts. She said, “Around 380 convicts were executed by the government, among them only 50 percent were terrorists and rest were executed due to killings.” Rashed Rahman said that emergence of terrorism in Pakistan is result of policies followed by state. “Our judicial system discriminates poor people who had to wait for executions in jails for several years,” he added.