Pakistan's hastily enacted 21st Amendment permitted military courts to try civilians. The country's Supreme Court upheld it, by divided vote. The legislation included a sunset clause, so it expires on January 7, 2017. The idea at the time was that in the mean time, the country's civilian courts would be beefed up and could be relied on once the 21st Amendment expires.
Guess what? No action has been taken to beef up the civilian courts. As this blog has cautioned, watch now for the 21st Amendment to be extended.
A useful
News International article tells the [sad/predictable] tale. Challenges to individual military court cases remain under advisement at the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
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