Terming military courts decisions ‘illegal’, PTI says ready for talks with govt

• Raja says military court’s verdict is “unconstitutional”. 
• “We want to hold talks for welfare of Pakistan,” he says. 
• Omar Ayub says they reject verdict issued by military court.
  

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The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday denounced the sentencing of accused involved in May 9 riots by the military courts, saying the verdicts are “illegal and unconstitutional”, however, in the same breath, the opposition party also expressed willingness to hold talks with the government. 

“The military court’s decisions are unconstitutional. However, despite the verdicts, we are ready for negotiations,” said PTI leader Salman Akram Raja during a press conference flanked by Latif Khosa. 

The presser comes hours after the military courts sentenced 25 individuals involved in the May 9, 2023, attacks on state installations to two to 10 years. 

“Field General Court Martial (FGCM) have in [the] first phase promulgated the punishments to 25 accused,” the military’s media wing said. “All convicts retain the right to appeal and other legal recourses, as guaranteed by the law and the Constitution.”

The protests broke out after PTI founder Imran Khan was taken into custody in a graft case. In turn, scores of party workers were arrested and more than 100 civilians are facing military trials.

However, the party maintains that it had no role in the incidents involving military installations, including the attack on the General Headquarters (GHQ), and has called for a judicial probe into last year’s events.

The military trials were initially halted after a Supreme Court ruling; however, the constitutional bench last week directed that the cases pending due to the earlier order be finalised and judgements in the cases of those accused found involved in these violent incidents be announced.

Raja, while speaking during the press conference, said that the PTI founder has given the party a deadline for negotiations which can also be extended. 

“We want to hold talks for the welfare of Pakistan,” said the party leader. He added that the government has not approached them yet for the talks.

He further said a plan is underway to present try Khan in the military court. “If the PTI founder is presented in military courts, it will be a very bad day,” he stressed.

He said that they haven’t yet been able to overcome about what happened to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, adding that he appeals the powerful quarters to not do this or the world would laugh at the country. 

“Stop treating the people in this country like a herd. Don’t try to eliminate us as you won’t be able to,” he said. 

Speaking on the occasion, PTI leader Latif Khosa termed the verdict as illegal and unconstitutional. “How can a military judge hear a case if there is an allegation of an attack on a military installation?” he questioned. 

He added that the military courts can take disciplinary action against their employees but they cannot try civilians. 

“An attempt was made to suppress the judiciary through the 26th Amendment,” said Khosa, emphasising that the Supreme Court’s full court should decide on the 26th Constitutional Amendment.

He added that the top court’s final verdict on this appeal will be very important.

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub, in a statement, said that they reject the verdict issued by the military court.

“The sentences against the PTI detainees are against the principles of justice as they are civilians who cannot be tried in military courts,” said Ayub.