The increasing practice of attacking military installations during political protests has deeply alarmed Pakistan’s Supreme Court Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi. He claimed that if left unchecked, such acts might drive the nation into anarchy. His remarks were made on May 9, 2023, at an appeals session contesting the invalidation of military court trials connected to the violence.
In order to promote national stability, Justice Rizvi underlined the significance of addressing this developing trend. Related judicial and legislative problems were discussed by other justices. While Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan emphasized how the emphasis frequently turns to the rights of terror suspects, ignoring the victims of such attacks, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail questioned the efficacy of punitive measures in preventing crimes like terrorism.
Debates concerning the legitimacy of civilian trials in military courts were also part of the legal discussion. Citing constitutional issues, Imran Khan’s attorney argued against the coexistence of civilian courts and military courts for the purpose of resolving civilian cases. According to Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, military court trials are legitimate under the Constitution because they are approved by parliamentary decisions.
Whether Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan officially denounced the events of May 9 was another controversial issue. Khan had done so, the lawyer claimed in court filings, but he insisted that this criticism did not match the official position on the issue.
The wider implications of military trials under constitutional revisions were also discussed during the conference. The court recognized the difficulties in striking a balance between constitutional ideals and security concerns, emphasizing the continuous difficulty in reaching a consensus in the face of changing legal interpretations and legislative restrictions.
