LAHORE:
The legal community has decided to go on a strike and boycott court proceedings on Thursday in response to the country’s top court nullifying its unanimous October 23 decision barring military trials of civilians.
The Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) strongly condemned the decision, terming the establishment of the military courts as a violation of basic human rights and an attempt to ruin the face of the Constitution of Pakistan.
In a press release, the LHCBA declared the decision tantamount to undermining the judicial system, asserting that the legal fraternity rejects military courts. They pointed out that the Supreme Court of Pakistan had previously denied the legitimacy of military courts, questioning how a six-member bench could overturn the earlier order.
Read more: SC suspends earlier ruling nullifying military trials of civilians
It said that the bar associations across Pakistan had condemned the military courts, adding the lawyer’s community will leave no stone unturned for the supremacy of law.
After addressing urgent cases, the LHCBA will initiate a day-long strike, boycotting court proceedings.
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court suspended its October 23 unanimous decision nullifying military trials of civilians.
A six-member bench hearing the case had reserved its verdict on a set of intra-court appeals (ICAs) filed by the caretaker federal government and the provincial governments of Balochistan, Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The Sindh government abstained from filing a plea.
The bench hearing the appeals today was headed by Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, and includes Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Irfan Saadat Khan.
The verdict was announced by a majority of 5:1, as Justice Musarrat Hilali objected to it.
On October 23, a five-member bench declared the military trials of individuals detained after the country’s violent protests on May 9 null and void during the hearing of multiple petitions.
