ISLAMABAD – A six-member bench of the Supreme Court is set to address a series of intra-court appeals (ICAs) challenging the Oct 23 unanimous ruling that deemed the trial of 103 civilians in military courts for their purported involvement in the May 9 violence unconstitutional.
Headed by Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, the bench includes Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Musarrat Hilali, and Justice Irfan Saadat Khan.
These ICAs were filed by the federal government, defence ministry, and the governments of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan, requesting the suspension of the Oct 23 order during the pendency of these appeals.
The earlier five-judge bench, led by Justice Ijazul Ahsan, on Oct 23, ruled that the accused involved in the May 9 riots should not face trial in military courts but in criminal courts established under ordinary or special laws.
While the detailed reasoning behind the judgment is yet to be released, the composition of the bench has sparked concern. Senior counsel Faisal Siddiqui highlighted the departure from the convention of forming odd-numbered benches, expressing reservations about the potential split decision if evenly divided.
