ISLAMABAD: Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail remarked on Monday that the government should declare the collapse of the civil justice system and refer all cases to military courts for adjudication. He made the observation during a hearing of intra-court appeals filed by the government against the Supreme Court’s earlier decision annulling the trial of May 9 rioters in military courts.
Justice Mandokhail, part of a seven-member constitutional bench, stated that policy matters should be addressed by parliament and the court should focus only on the case at hand. He added that parliament should also decide whether the civil system had failed, justifying the shift of all cases to military jurisdiction.
Attorney-General for Pakistan Mansoor Awan began his arguments, stating he would address three main points during the hearings. He noted that Khawaja Haris, counsel for the Ministry of Defence, had already presented arguments regarding the May 9 events.
Awan mentioned that the issue of granting appeals to those convicted by military courts was a policy matter, and he would submit arguments after receiving government instructions. The court adjourned the hearing until May 5.
