ISLAMABAD-
A National Assembly session will resume Monday (today) to discuss and vote on the 21st Constitutional Amendment Bill and Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill tabled in the Parliament on Saturday to provide constitutional cover to the military-led speedy trial courts (STCs) in terrorism-related cases.
Following approval of the bills in the National Assembly, the bills will be tabled in Senate. The Parliament is most likely to give a go-ahead to the draft of constitutional amendment which was unanimously laid out by the political leaders in All Parties’ Conference.On January 2nd, the All Parties Conference (APC) chaired by the PM had reached a consensus to bring amendments in the constitution as well as the Army Act for the establishment of special courts. The meeting was attended by the country’s top civilian and military leadership.
The 21st Amendment Bill would require to be passed by two-third of total members of both the NA and Senate members. The Army Act (Amendment) Bill requires a simple majority.
Following 16 December’s deadly Taliban attack on Army Public School in Peshawar, civil and military authorities have amped up their anti-terror strategy. A day after the attack , Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif lifted a six-year moratorium on the death penalty, reinstating it for terrorism-related cases. Since then, seven convicts have been executed.
