Minus PPP, political parties agree on two years extension in military courts
Oscar Wilde once remarked ‘the man who sees both sides of a question is a man who sees absolutely nothing’. But this quip fails the truth test on the burning issue of military courts. For this contentious matter is rightly being pondered over carefully from all sides, with the politicians looking askance at any trespassing on their turf, while acknowledging the need of speedy trial of terrorists, in which the civilian criminal justice has failed. It is a difficult balancing act. Apart from the refrain of due process, the long-term success of the exercise is also doubtful, if no improvement is made in the existing judicial system in the interim period. So, the quick fix military courts offer an easy solution.
The recent string of shocking blasts and suicide bombings with over 100 deaths raised emotions to a high pitch, and after some wrangling, the major political parties agreed on a two-year extension to be debated in the Assembly on March 6. The PPP, which has differences with the PML-N on the definition of terrorism, and desires inclusion of religious and sectarian extremism, stayed away from the meeting. It is holding an All Parties Conference on March 4 to debate the military courts, but the PTI, which has already endorsed the government’s two year period, is not attending. And the MQM has its own axe to grind with its leader Farooq Sattar’s name now likely to be included in the Exit Control List. Matters of national interest are sometimes undercut by party interests.
Still, military courts’ tenure is expected to be extended, possibly unanimously, by constitutional amendment during the March 6 session, as it is an urgent short term measure against the resurgence in terrorism. PPP Senator Raza Rabbani had wept publicly when voting for the 21st Amendment in 2015, saying that he was ‘ashamed to be voting against his conscience’. To quote Wilde again: “conscience and cowardice are really the same thing. Conscience is the trade name of the firm. That is all!”
