ISLAMABAD -  The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president regretted the extension given to military courts.

While addressing a full court reference held to pay tribute to Justice Amir Hani Muslim on his retirement SCBA President Rashid A Rizvi said that in any civilised country the establishment of the parallel judiciary was always opposed, and cited the apex court judgment delivered in the case of Azizullah Memon.

He said Justice Hani was one of those conscientious judges who had declined to take oath on Provisional Constitution Order.

Rizvi said it was the collective view of the bar that the judiciary in Pakistan neither in the past nor presently ever failed to perform its functions in accordance with the law and constitution. He said it was the failure of civilian and military governments that the institution of judiciary always neglected.

“The most appropriate and effective way to counter terrorism is to enhance the strength of judiciary and the para-legal staff and also improve and make effective the working of intelligence and investigating agencies and make the prosecution department more efficient,” Rizvi said.

He stated that terrorists could be brought to book only through a vibrant civilian justice system, which enjoys credibility among the masses. “Military justice is justice denied and military courts have never been nor will be an answer to defeat terrorism,” Rizvi said.

“The past experience has proved that summary trials without the opportunity to the defence cannot effectively counter terrorism,” he said adding that a progressive and prosperous Pakistan could only be built when the rule of law reigns supreme.