ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani on Friday said that giving an extension to military courts for a couple of years would put the country back to square one, as he admonished the government for not taking measures to reform the overall criminal justice system after the military courts were set up for the first time.
Rabbani, while speaking during Senate’s Friday proceedings, said the nation would not have had to face the challenges and tough decisions that have made this extension essential if the 21st amendment had been brought up for debate and deliberation before the entire parliamentary committee two years ago. “This entire thing makes me feel despondent,” said a sentimental Rabbani.
He, however, said he would vote in favour of the extension when the matter was brought to the Senate, as he was bound to toe the party line despite his feelings for the extension.
It may be mentioned here that the Senate chairman was found in tears when the 21st amendment was being passed by parliament.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Senate Aitzaz Ahsan said that the PPP still had reservations regarding the extension. “Accepting this has been a bitter pill to swallow,” he said, adding the party had instead decided to trust the country and do what was best for it by showing national solidarity.
Continuing his criticism of the government, the PPP leader said the government was trying to use shortcuts to get instant results and score political points – a policy which will be dangerous in the long-run.
He also said if the government had actually implemented the 19 points of the National Action Plan in letter and spirit, then perhaps the assistance of military courts would not have been needed today.
Aitzaz, in his address to the upper house of parliament, said they were trusting the government because maybe “we are simple and uneducated folks.”
Responding to Aitizaz Ahsan’s remarks in the Senate, Finance Minster Ishaq Dar said that the military courts were not on the agenda of any political party and it was a necessary step given the state of the country. Dar also addressed the Senate chairman, saying he was aware of his sentiments and hoped he would be present in parliament on the day of the vote.
