(PTI) The Pakistan government has amended the Army Act to empower military courts to try civilians accused of instigating or carrying out acts of terrorism against armed forces, a top official said today. The amendment to the Army Act of 1952 will also allow military courts to take up cases involving persons like tribal militants and to try persons planning to carry out suicide attacks.
Attorney General Malik Qayyum said the offence of terrorism had been added to the Act. "Civilians instigating or carrying out acts of terrorism against armed forces personnel can now be tried by military courts," Qayyum told TV news channels. The amendment will also redefine the role of security agencies by giving them powers of arbitrary detentions, officials had said earlier.
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This is the second attempt to bring civilians under the purview of the Army Act since 1977. The Lahore High Court had earlier struck down such an amendment made in the Act by the government of late prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.
Though a number of civilians are currently being tried by military courts for their alleged involvement in assassination attempts on President Pervez Musharraf, the new amendment to the Army Act will "broaden the scope" for conviction of civilians by army tribunals, officials said. |