In Islamabad, the Supreme Court, led by a six-member bench chaired by Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and comprising Justices Aminuddin Khan, Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Musarrat Hilali, and Irfan Saadat Khan, has suspended its prior ruling that invalidated the trial of civilians in military courts. This decision came after a series of intra-court appeals (ICAs) challenging the initial verdict.
With a majority of 5-1, excluding Justice Musarrat Hilali who dissented, the court reversed its earlier stance, allowing the continuation of civilian trials in military courts until a final decision is reached regarding these appeals.
Previously, on October 23, a different five-member bench, including Justices Ijazul Ahsan, Munib Akhtar, Yahya Afridi, Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, and Ayesha Malik, had annulled the military trial of 103 civilians. The current intra-court appeals were filed by the caretaker federal government and the provincial governments of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab. Additionally, the defense ministry had also lodged an ICA challenging the October 23 judgement.
This recent ruling signifies a continuation of civilian trials within military courts until the final resolution of these appeals.
