Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Atta Bandial on Wednesday constituted a 9-member larger bench to hear petitions against trials of civilians in military courts.
A larger bench headed by the Chief Justice will hear the petitions today (Thursday) at 11:45 am.
Apart from the Chief Justice, the nine-member bench includes the most senior judges, Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Ayesha Malik and Justice Mazahir Ali Naqvi.
A day earlier, former Chief Justice Jawad S Khawaja filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the trial of civilians by military courts, JEE News reported.
He had filed a petition under Article 184(3) of the Constitution, which made the Federation of Pakistan, by law, defense secretaries and provincial chief secretaries, defendants.
The former chief justice said that the instant petition does not seek to support or attack any political party or institution, adding that it raises an important constitutional question involving fundamental rights that requires adjudication in the present circumstances.
Justice (retd) Khawaja in the petition submitted through his lawyer Khawaja Ahmed Hussain said that the petitioner has no personal interest in this case and the relief sought is for the benefit of all citizens irrespective of political affiliation. Is’.
The former Chief Justice pleaded with the Supreme Court that court-martial of citizens by military courts is unconstitutional when ordinary courts are functioning.
Furthermore, according to JEE News, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan and Barrister Sardar Latif Khosa met Chief Justice Bandial on Tuesday to discuss important legal issues.
In an hour-long meeting, the two senior lawyers apprised the chief justice about important constitutional petitions filed in the Supreme Court relating to fundamental rights of citizens in general and the supremacy of the Constitution in particular, sources close to the development said. .
It was further learned that Barrister Ahsan apprised Chief Justice Bandial of the constitutional petition challenging the trial of civilians by military courts and urged the Chief Justice to take up the matter in the Supreme Court as soon as possible.
