The Supreme Court has reserved its verdict on appeals challenging the military trials of civilians, with the decision expected to be announced later this week. The seven-member constitutional bench, headed by Justice Amin-ud-Din, completed hearing arguments from both sides.
During the proceedings, Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan revealed that the Corps Commander Lahore was among the high-ranking officers forcibly retired without pension for negligence during the Jinnah House attack. When Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan inquired whether the retired Corps Commander had appeared as a witness in the trial court, the Attorney General said that information would be available when appeals from the trial court are filed.
Justice Musarrat Hilali questioned the circumstances of the Jinnah House incident, asking whether people jumped over the gate or if someone opened it from inside. "If someone opened the door from inside, it would constitute collusion," she noted. The Attorney General responded that he would need to check the details before providing an answer.
Justice Jamal Mandokhail raised questions about the intent behind the May 9 events: "Was the intention to record a protest or to attack? Could it be that the intention was to protest but the situation escalated beyond limits?" The Attorney General maintained that what happened on May 9 constituted a crime.
Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan cautioned the Attorney General against discussing the merits of the May 9 incidents, saying, "You are going down the wrong path. We haven't allowed anyone to discuss the merits of the May 9 events as it would affect the trials and appeals. If we get into the details of May 9, many questions will arise that you might not be able to answer."
The Attorney General informed the court that 86 convicts have already filed appeals against their sentences in military courts, and additional time will be granted to others to file their appeals.
He also disclosed that three high-ranking Pakistan Army officers were retired without pension and benefits, including a Lieutenant General, a Brigadier, and a Lieutenant Colonel. Additionally, the performance of 14 army officers was deemed unsatisfactory, which means they cannot receive further promotions.
When Justice Jamal asked if the army had initiated any criminal proceedings against its officers, the Attorney General replied that criminal action would only be taken if they had committed crimes, adding that departmental action was taken for failure to prevent the May 9 incident.
Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi noted that during Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's execution, people offered themselves for arrest and some even set themselves on fire, but no one damaged public property. The Attorney General concurred, saying his own father had faced political cases but damaging public property was never considered.
After the Attorney General completed his arguments, the SCP reserved its judgment, stating that a brief decision would be announced later this week.
