The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has formally requested the Supreme Court to withdraw the appeal filed by the former provincial caretaker government against the top court’s ruling on the nullification of military trials for civilians.
Presenting a resolution passed by the provincial cabinet led by KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, the government’s lawyer expressed the intention to withdraw the intra-court appeal. However, the apex court insisted on a formal application for withdrawal.
The appeal was filed by the KP caretaker government, along with federal and provincial governments, in November last year, challenging the Supreme Court’s verdict from October 23, which declared military trials of civilians in certain cases null and void.
The Supreme Court’s decision came in response to petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and others, alleging lack of transparency in military trials.
During the recent court proceedings, concerns were raised regarding the composition of the bench overseeing the matter. Lawyers representing the petitioners objected to the bench’s size and requested the formation of a larger bench to ensure fairness and public trust in the judiciary.
Furthermore, discussions ensued regarding the hiring of private lawyers by government institutions, with questions raised about the expenditure of public funds on legal representation when the Attorney General for Pakistan had already filed appeals himself.
The court ordered the Attorney General to provide details about the cases of civilians in custody, including the number of acquittals and those awaiting verdicts. Additionally, the court emphasized the need to consider the possibility of releasing those who could be acquitted.
The proceedings were adjourned until March 28 (Thursday), indicating that the legal battle surrounding military trials in Pakistan continues to unfold.
