ISLAMABAD: PPP lea­der Mian Raza Rabbani has opposed the military trial of civilians adding that prosecuting arsonists un­der the Army Act will generate sympathy for them.

During the budget deb­ate in the Senate on Tues­day, Mr Rabbani said strict action must be taken agai­nst those involved in May 9 attacks but added that a criminal justice system existed in the country with special anti-terrorism laws and courts. “Being civilians, the planners, abetters and attackers should be tried under this system.”

He cautioned that military trials will raise questions of transparency and “draw the debate in a direction that will generate sympathy for the attackers”.

The PPP senator said prosecuting cases of arson and burning under Army Act, 1952, will be challenged before superior courts and likely to be declared a violation of law.

Referring to the constitutional amendment after which military courts were formed in 2015, Mr Rabbani said it was a one-time provision with a sunset clause which had already lapsed. He also said the decision was wrong.

Opposes prosecution of civilians under Army Act; Gillani calls for ‘Charter of Economy’

He urged the government to rethink the trial of civilians under the Army Act but said those involved in arson and attacks in May 9 case must not be spared. He also called for political stability which was “the need of the hour” and interlinked with economic stability.

‘Charter of Economy’

In his speech, another senator from PPP, Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani, asked both treasury and opposition members to unite during this difficult time to tackle the economic crisis and emphasised the need for a “Charter of Economy”.

He claimed that in an attempt to gain public sympathy, PTI leaders violated the terms and conditions set by the International Monetary Fund before the no-confidence motion against former prime minister Imran Khan.

Taking part in the discussion, PTI’s Senator Mohsin Aziz said more resources should be generated to overcome economic issues.

PML-N’s Senator Irfan Siddiqui appreciated the government’s decision of allocating Rs1 for health insurance of working journalists and expressed the hope that the provinces would also follow suit.

Taking a jibe at the opposition, he also questioned how foreign investment will come when agitation, sit-ins and protests were held every day.

“The opposition has an important role in government affairs but it was their own decision to leave the Parliament,” the PML-N leader said while referring to mass resignations tendered by PTI lawmakers following the ouster of ex-PM Khan in 2022.

PPP’s Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi said the bud­get was presented amid economic challenges which he blamed on the “weak policies” of the PTI government.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2023