By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Thursday the judiciary had already interfered in the domain of parliament and must be stopped from doing so.
Addressing a session of the National Assembly chaired by Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf, the minister said the matter of the trial of civilians in military courts had been taken to the Supreme Court and during the previous regime, 24 or 25 people were sentenced by military courts.
He said the SC bench had split and the result would come in a day or two. He said those who had raised the issue had political interests, adding that the petitioners had reservations with their respective parties.
He said the May 9 violence in which state institutions and memorials of martyrs were attacked was unprecedented. He said such a crime were unpardonable.
The comments by the minister came as the top court heard pleas against the trial of civilians allegedly involved in May 9 riots in military courts. A day earlier Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial formed a nine-member larger bench to hear petitionsn filed by Aitzaz Ahsan and former judge Jawad S. Khawaja.
One should not put at stake the honour and dignity of the country for political purposes, he said, adding a person should leave a legacy so that people remember him in good words.
Asif further said those who were sacrificing their lives for the country were well-wishers of people of Pakistan. He appealed to the house to protect their honour and the message should go out from the house that they would not compromise their honour.
