Pak Senate leader regrets accord on military courts' revival

Islamabad [Pakistan], Mar. 18 (ANI): Pakistan Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani has termed the accord reached between political parties on the revival of military courts unfortunate, fearing that the term of extension might go beyond 2019. While chairing Friday's session, he pointed out that two bills pertaining to military courts were passed in 2015, yet two years later, the country found itself back to square one, reports the Dawn. He said the Senate's Committee of the Whole had taken steps before the cut-off date for military courts mentioned in the sunset clause of the Army Act 2015 and the Constitutional Amendment Act 2015 and had unanimously passed two bills on January 18, 2016. Responding to an observation of the Senate chairperson, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said military courts were never a priority of any political party, but the decision had been taken in view of the peculiar law and order situation in the country. He said the country was facing enormous challenges and Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad was launched after Operation Zarb-e-Azb. He claimed there was no other choice. Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan said the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had agreed to swallow a bitter pill on the government's assurance that the term for military courts would be two years and that a national security committee would also be formed. (ANI)