Pak SC seeks details of militants convicted by military court

Pakistan Supreme Court today asked the government to come up with the details pertaining to the trials of five militants who were sentenced to death by the military courts established to speedily try terror cases.
The court was hearing the petitions challenging the creation of military court set up after Taliban attack at a school in Peshawar in December last year.
The petition that challenged the establishment of military courts in the country was filed in the apex court by a person who said that the amendment made in the Constitution to establish military courts is against its basic structure.

The courts were established through an amendment to the Constitution but it has been challenged in the Supreme Court as a violation of the fundamental rights.
A 17-member full bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk, directed Attorney General Salman Aslam Butt to submit details of the trials of the five convicts.
The court observed that it was wants to see if the principle of fair trial was followed or not by the military courts.

The apex court is visibly perturbed as the setting up of military courts was interpreted as a vote of no confidence on the judiciary which allegedly has been slow to decide cases of militants.

Pakistan established nine military courts in January after Taliban gunmen attacked a school in Peshawar, killing 134 children and 19 adults. The courts expanded the military's powers, giving them the authority to try civilians accused of terrorism.
A military court in April sentenced six militants to death and gave life term to another terrorist.