By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Supreme Court formed a nine-member bench on Wednesday to hear four petitions challenging the trials of civilians in military courts over riots that damaged public and military property on May 9.
The bench, led by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and including his successor Qazi Faez Isa, will take up the petitions on Thursday, according to the court’s cause list.
Justices Sardar Tariq Masood, Ijazul Ahsan, Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Munib Akhtar, Yahya Afridi, Justice, Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Ayesha Malik are included in the bench.
The petitions were filed after the army said it would try suspects arrested in connection with the May 9 protests under military laws, a move endorsed by the government.
The protests erupted across the country after the former Prime Minister Imran Khan was detained by the Islamabad High Court in a corruption case.
Among the petitioners are Khan himself, former chief justice Jawwad S. Khawaja and veteran politician Aitzaz Ahsan.
They argue that the trials of civilians in military courts violate the constitution and fundamental rights.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that only those accused of vandalising military property would face military trials, while others would be tried under anti-terrorism laws.
Anti-terrorism courts have handed over several suspects to the military for trial on applications submitted by army officers.
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