Pakistan Supreme Court declares military trial of civilians null and void

Islamabad, October 23

Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Monday declared the trial of civilians in military courts as “null and void” and ordered authorities to conduct the hearing of the cases of former premier Imran Khan’s supporters arrested for their involvement in the May 9 violent protests in ordinary criminal courts.

A five-member bench of the Supreme Court led by Justice Ijazul Ahsan in its short verdict ordered that 102 accused arrested under the Army Act be tried in the criminal court. The bench comprising Justices Ahsan, Muneeb Akhtar, Yahya Afridi, Mazahir Naqvi, and Ayesha Malik – announced its verdict on a dozen petitions challenging the trial of more than 100 civilians in military courts following the unprecedented violence in the country after the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan on May 9.

The pleas were filed by Imran Khan, the Supreme Court Bar Association and civil society.