Opposition to Pakistan's new military courts from an unexpected direction

The News International reports here that Pakistani religious leaders consider the legislation authorizing the country's new military courts discriminatory and a result of Western influence. Excerpts:

The speakers criticised the 21st Amendment and argued that the government should not have targetted the seminaries. “Instead, the amendment should have covered all kind of terrorist acts, including the activities of Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM),” one of the speakers stressed.

The speakers claimed that BLA and MQM were carrying out attacks on the security forces, judges, ulema and common citizens but military courts were not constituted against them.

“We have been victimised through the flawed policies of two dictators. General Zia brainwashed some students of Madaris and used them in the Afghan jihad while General Musharraf declared Madaris as the hub of terrorism,” Mufti Misbahuddin recalled.

They noted that Ulema had supported Pakistan Army in all wars against the enemy but the government on the dictation of Western powers was amending the Constitution to end the positive role of Madaris in the society.