The Supreme Court (SC) is hearing a case related to military courts, where several judges have raised concerns about the trial process and the qualifications of officers making decisions.
The bench, headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, heard intra-court appeals challenging the decisions of military courts. The bench also comprised Justices Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Naeem Akhtar Afghan, Musarrat Hilali, and Shahid Bilal Hassan.
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At the outset of the hearing, Justice Jamal Mandokhail urged the need to be convinced about the military trial procedure.
“Does the officer conducting the trial have the necessary experience and competence to pass severe sentences, including the death penalty?”
Justice Musarrat Hilali questioned the practice of the officer conducting the trial not being the one to issue the verdict, pointing out that the trial officer refers the case to a senior officer for the final decision. She raised concerns about how an officer who has not heard the trial could be the one to decide the outcome.
