This concerns news that Pakistan’s so-called controversial law allowing military courts has expired (Arab News, Jan. 8). It is sad that some Pakistani media outlets are playing a negative role regarding the news, showing the army in a bad light. According to the story, 274 people have been convicted by these courts since January 2015, of which 161 have been sentenced to death. Twelve of those have already been hanged.
It must be noted that these courts successfully handled cases related to many hardcore terrorists — cases that civilian courts had failed to handle.
It is also a fact that military courts largely did a good job at helping to root out terrorists in Pakistan in a way other judicial institutions failed to do. Regardless of the law’s technicalities, services rendered by these courts must have been appreciated.
Pakistanis are directly or indirectly victims of terrorism, and see their army as a last hope as political leaderships have failed tremendously to curb radical activities in the country. Our military has fought shoulder to shoulder with international peacekeepers in this regard. Pakistan has faced numerous terror attacks, including the deadly one on the Army Public School in Peshawar that killed more than 150 people, mostly children.
The government must extend the term of these courts. It would give them more space to ensure a terror-free Pakistan.
— Mumtaz A. Qadir, Riyadh
Controversial law courts
