This Dawn article about the state of play on the proposal to revive Pakistan's military courts' power to try civilians is worth reading. It would seem that in order to gain the support of religious parties, the government is willing to drop language (that had appeared in the now-expired 21st Amendment) that limited that power to persons “belonging to any terrorist group or organisation using the name of religion or a sect.” That deletion, however, concerns other parties because the power might be used for "arm-twisting or political victimisation." The actual text of the proposal has not been made public.
How about the rock bottom principle that civilians -- all civilians, not just the political class or religious fanatics -- should simply not be tried in civilian courts?
This Dawn editorial nails it. Excerpt:
The government may try and bulldoze the principled and sensible parliamentary resistance among elements of the opposition, but what would be even more shocking is if the government makes a rumoured concession to the religious right on the issue.
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