ISLAMABAD – Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that the violent incidents of May 9 caused losses of Rs2.5 billion.
He revealed it as a six-member Supreme Court (SC) bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and consisting Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Ayesha A. Malik, heard a set of petitions challenging the civilian trials in military trials of the country.
The AGP said that the violent events caused losses of Rs2.5 billion, including Rs1.9bn to military installations. He said Inter-Services Intelligence’s (ISI) Hamza Camp in Rawalpindi and the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology were attacked by the miscreants.
He added that the protesters also attacked the Lahore Corps Commanders’ residence and airbase in Mianwali as he showed some photos to the court in this regard.
At one point, the CJP asked: “What is the punishment in military courts under Section 7 of the Army Act?”.
AGP Awan replied a suspect could get two years imprisonment from military courts under Sections 3 and 9.
“Is that the maximum sentence in the case?” the top judge asked, to which the AGP responded in the affirmative.
To which, the CJP said then the punishment in ordinary courts was more severe.
Justice Afridi inquired if the right to appeal will be given in a trial under the Army Act. At which, CJP Bandial said the AGP would satisfy the courts in this regard.
Later, the top judge asked the AGP to get instructions from the government regarding right to appeal to citizens. The AGP sought time till Friday and later the CJP adjourned the hearing.
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