Procedures at issue in Supreme Court review of Pakistan's military courts

A moment of truth seems to be arriving for Pakistan's use of military courts under the 21st Amendment to the country's Constitution. According to the latest report:

The Supreme Court yesterday ordered the federal government to file a comprehensive report on the procedure to ensure fair trials under Article 10-A of the Constitution to the convicts of military courts.

Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali questioned whether the terrorists who don’t recognise the Constitution of Pakistan and the law of the land should be dealt with like ordinary citizens. 

Justice Saqib said a procedure has been given in Qanoon-e-Shahdat for fair trials. He questioned under which law the sentences were awarded by military courts. 

The chief justice was heading a five-member larger bench that heard the appeals of the convicts awarded death sentences by the military courts that were upheld by the Peshawar High Court. The relatives of around 10 convicts have filed appeals against the PHC verdicts.

The 21st Amendment will expire in January (unless extended or made permanent).