ISLAMABAD - After a five-hour-long deliberation and consultation session, political and military leaders agreed on a draft of legislative measures that would pave the way for establishment of special military trial courts.
The issue of military courts and duration of their functioning had become contentious in recent days. On Friday, both prime minister Nawaz Sharif and army chief Gen Raheel Sharif strongly advocated the necessity of these special courts as a prerequisite in fighting terrorism and extremism that have ravaged the country.
The prime minister said it was time to put the plans into action and the nation could not afford further dithering on the issue of tackling militancy. “There is no room for further debate,” the prime minister said.
A joint declaration issued after the marathon session said that the country’s top leadership endorsed the proposed amendments in the Pakistan Army Act to extend its jurisdiction for speedy trial of cases under specified acts, and provide the constitutional cover with a sunset clause of two years from the date of enactment.
The participants also reiterated the commitment to degrading, dismantling and destroying all forms of terrorism and terrorist networks operating within the country. It was unanimously resolved that the 20 points enunciated in the APC Resolution of December 24, 2014 shall be acted upon expeditiously.
Sources privy to the APC said that the copy of draft bill approved by the APC would be tabled in the National Assembly today (Saturday). The bill, named as 22nd (Constitutional) Amendment, will be enforced soon after its approval from the parliament.
It seeks to amend the Army Act 1952, Pakistan Navy Ordinance 1961, Pakistan Air Force 1953 as well as modest modifications in Protection of Pakistan Act 2014. The proposed draft bill also seeks to ensure that no one will be put on trial without the consent of the federal government.
Later, Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed while talking to reporters confirmed that the bill for military courts will be presented in the NA on Saturday (today) and the procedure for its approval will begin from Monday. He said the reservations of JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman have been redressed, adding that PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari was also in unanimity and played role of a leader in developing consensus through his presence in the meeting.
According to government sources, Prime Minister Sharif exhibited strong leadership skills by forcefully advocating evolving of a consensus during the meeting as he urged the political leadership to finalise the draft constitutional amendment for setting up special courts to try the terrorists.
The prime minister said the special courts will be established for a specific period of two years and expressed confidence that they will yield desired results within this period. He said the nation now wants to see the National Action Plan to deal with terrorism in action so that the country could be purged of the scourge of terrorism once and for all.
Appreciating the ‘maturity’ demonstrated by leaders of all political parties, the premier said it is a matter of satisfaction that the political leadership is taking key decisions. He said he wants to see the country a peaceful place where the citizens have no terror threat.
“If we failed to make bold decisions, the nation would hold us accountable,” Prime Minister Sharif said as he observed that if a referendum is held, it would show that overwhelming majority of Pakistanis wants that the terrorists must be taken to task. He said unity on the issue of counter-terrorism is golden chapter in the political history of the country.
Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, while speaking to the participants, said that the nation will achieve clear victory against terrorists. “Our today’s decisions will determine the destiny of the nation,” the army chief was quoted as saying. He said Pakistan is at critical stage of the campaign against terrorism and taking extraordinary steps is need of the hour.
According to ISPR Director General Major General Asim Bajwa, General Raheel expressed immense confidence in taking on the spectre of terrorism. "We will win decisively,” the army chief said. General Raheel Sharif said consensus reached during the first APC must endure and we need to make quantum decisions.
Dispelling negative propaganda by certain vested groups, the army chief assured the participants that he special courts are not just a desire of the Army but a need of extraordinary times."We will return to original system when normalcy returns,” the army chief said.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Pervaiz Rashid said that all the national leadership had taken a unanimous decision to establish special courts.
Talking to mediamen, he said that the basic thing was that nobody had disagreed with any point and overall there was unanimity. "If someone had any objection on some points, it was removed amicably," he said.
Appreciating the role of former President Asif Ali Zardari in the All Parties Conference (APC), he said that the former President played a positive and leading role for creating consensus.
He said the reservations of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman had been addressed and he had been communicated about that. "Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman prayed for the success of the decisions taken in the APC. Let us be hopeful now that we would be successful in redeeming the country from terrorism," he added.
He said that the bill to amend the Constitution for establishing special courts would be tabled in the National Assembly on Saturday, while it would presented in the Senate on Tuesday. He said that the special courts were being set up as the trial of killers of innocent children and citizens was possible only through these courts.
He said after the ghastly attack on Army Public School Peshawar the first APC meeting had taken place on December 17 in which leaders of all political parties were present. Another meeting was held on December 24, in which National Action Plan was also agreed upon collectively, he added.