ISLAMABAD – The Punjab government on Friday submitted an incomplete report before the Supreme Court regarding cases registered and suspects arrested for their involvement in violent protests on May 9 after the arrest of PTI chairman.
The apex court had ordered the authorities to provide details of the cases registered during the hearing of pleas challenging the trials of civilians in military court.
The Supreme Court has started hearing a set of petitions challenging the trial of civilians in military courts,
A seven-judge larger bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yayha Afridi, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Ayesha Malik has taken up the case.
During its yesterday’s hearing, the court issued notices to Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan, Interior Minister, Defence Minister, and other respondents.
The court also directed the attorney general to provide detail of a total number of detained suspects in civil and military custody on account of the May 9 violent incident.
Punjab govt submits data of detainees sans military arrests
At the outset of the hearing today, the Punjab government submitted a report comprising data of detained persons involved in the May 9 riots.
However, the report does not include the data of those arrested by the military.
According to the Punjab government’s report, a total of 4,119 people have been arrested. 3,050 people including women have been found involved in the May 9 violence. Out of them, 86 are on physical remand, while 2,464 are on judicial remand.
Cases were registered against them under Section 247 and other laws.
Cases were registered against them under Section 247. Reconstitution of bench
Originally, a nine-member larger bench was formed to take up the case which also included Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Sardar Tariq Masood. But before the court resumed hearing, Chief Justice-designate Justice Isa objected to the formation of the bench by the chief justice, saying he did not consider the nine-member bench hearing appeals against military trials ‘a proper court’. He said he was not recusing himself but he would not sit either.
He observed that the larger bench should not take up the petitions until the apex court decided the case about the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Act.
Justice Tariq Masood also endorsed the views of Justice Isa and recused himself from hearing the case.
The larger bench then left the courtroom despite requests by the lawyer that petitioners and their families risked their lives by filing petitions.
However, after a while, the remaining seven-member bench was reassembled, and started hearing the case.
The chief justice ignored a plea seeking issuance of an interim or stay order to halt civilians’ trial in military courts remarking that the court could not do so without hearing the arguments by the AGP.
Saying this, the court issued notices to the respondents and asked AGP to provide complete information about those being tried in civilian and military courts in connection with May 9 incidents.
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