<p>Islamabad: Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled in favour of military trials of civilians, paving the way for trial of those involved in the May 9, 2023 riotous protests.</p>.<p>The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers had resorted to violent protest against the arrest of Imran Khan, allegedly attacking military installations.</p>.<p>A seven-member constitutional bench of the court, led by Justice Aminuddin Khan, heard multiple intra-court appeals against the top court's original judgment of October 2023 that ruled against the military trial of the civilians.</p>.Fully prepared to deal with any eventuality: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor on cross-border shelling by Pakistan.<p>The case was filed after May 9, 2023, violent protests by the PTI workers and the subsequent handing over of more than 100 protesters to the military authorities for trial.</p>.<p>The petitioners had filed review petitions, seeking the annulment of the judgment to allow the military courts to try civilians under the military laws. The court reserved its judgment on Monday after the conclusion of the hearing.</p>.<p>Delivering the 5-2 split verdict, Justice Aminuddin announced the 10-page short order, accepted the appeals, allowing the trial of civilians involved in the May 9, 2023 attacks.</p>.<p>However, he directed the government to make the necessary amendments in the law of the army within 45 days to allow the convicted individuals the right to appeal their sentences before a high court.</p>.<p>Justices Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Naeem Akhtar Afghan dissented from the verdict, dismissing the appeals in a separate order and upholding the earlier ruling that declared military trials as null and void.</p>.<p>Earlier, the October 23, 2023, verdict by a five-member bench had declared the military trials of civilians as unconstitutional by a majority of 4-1.</p>.<p>The bench unanimously had emphasised that the cases of the May 9 suspects will proceed before criminal courts, the majority ruling had struck down Section 2(1)d(i) and 2(1)(d)(ii) as well as Section 59(4) of the Pakistan Army Act, 1952.</p>.<p>In today’s verdict, the constitutional bench restored those sections of the Pakistan Army Act, 1952.</p>.<p>During hearing of the petitions, the military courts sentenced 85 PTI activists to terms ranging from two to ten years of rigorous imprisonment.</p>
<p>Islamabad: Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled in favour of military trials of civilians, paving the way for trial of those involved in the May 9, 2023 riotous protests.</p>.<p>The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers had resorted to violent protest against the arrest of Imran Khan, allegedly attacking military installations.</p>.<p>A seven-member constitutional bench of the court, led by Justice Aminuddin Khan, heard multiple intra-court appeals against the top court's original judgment of October 2023 that ruled against the military trial of the civilians.</p>.Fully prepared to deal with any eventuality: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor on cross-border shelling by Pakistan.<p>The case was filed after May 9, 2023, violent protests by the PTI workers and the subsequent handing over of more than 100 protesters to the military authorities for trial.</p>.<p>The petitioners had filed review petitions, seeking the annulment of the judgment to allow the military courts to try civilians under the military laws. The court reserved its judgment on Monday after the conclusion of the hearing.</p>.<p>Delivering the 5-2 split verdict, Justice Aminuddin announced the 10-page short order, accepted the appeals, allowing the trial of civilians involved in the May 9, 2023 attacks.</p>.<p>However, he directed the government to make the necessary amendments in the law of the army within 45 days to allow the convicted individuals the right to appeal their sentences before a high court.</p>.<p>Justices Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Naeem Akhtar Afghan dissented from the verdict, dismissing the appeals in a separate order and upholding the earlier ruling that declared military trials as null and void.</p>.<p>Earlier, the October 23, 2023, verdict by a five-member bench had declared the military trials of civilians as unconstitutional by a majority of 4-1.</p>.<p>The bench unanimously had emphasised that the cases of the May 9 suspects will proceed before criminal courts, the majority ruling had struck down Section 2(1)d(i) and 2(1)(d)(ii) as well as Section 59(4) of the Pakistan Army Act, 1952.</p>.<p>In today’s verdict, the constitutional bench restored those sections of the Pakistan Army Act, 1952.</p>.<p>During hearing of the petitions, the military courts sentenced 85 PTI activists to terms ranging from two to ten years of rigorous imprisonment.</p>