- Minister highlights significance of speedy trial of terrorists
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday contacted more parliamentary leaders to cajole their support for a unanimous approval for extension to the military courts.
According to statement issued by the Ministry of Finance here, Dar highlighted the significance of extending the working of military courts for speedy trial of terrorists, and emphasised consensus among all the party leaders on this important matter.
The parliamentary leaders contacted Sunday by the finance minister include Farooq Sattar of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour of the Awami National Party, Sahibzada Tariqullah from the Jamaat-e-Islami, FATA parliamentarian Shah Jee Gul Afridi and Sheikh Rashid Ahmed of the Awami Muslim League.
In his telephonic conversation with these leaders, Dar reiterated that recent spate of terrorist attacks across the country called for a rapid and fitting response, adding that extension to the military courts would strengthen the efforts to curb militancy.
Dar also called National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on behalf of the government, and requested him to advance the meeting of the main parliamentary committee on the subject on February 23 instead of 27th as was earlier planned.
He advised the speaker that since the meeting of the sub-committee was scheduled for February 22, it would be appropriate to convene the main committee on February 23 to facilitate an early decision on the matter.