Islamabad (Staff Report/Agencies): The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday sought the record of all those arrested in the country post-May 9.
A 7-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yayha Afridi, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Ayesha Malik had taken up the petitions filed by former CJP Jawad S Khawaja and others against the trial of alleged May 9 rioters in military courts.
The chief justice asked the government, through the attorney general, to provide details of all those individuals, including women and juveniles, who were detained by civilian and military authorities following the riots of May 9.
The CJP formed a new seven-member bench to hear petitions challenging the trial of civilians in military courts after a nine-member bench was dissolved following objections raised by Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Sardar Tariq Masood.
Earlier the day, a nine-member bench headed by the CJP and comprising Justice Isa, Justice Masood, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yayha Afridi, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Ayesha Malik had taken up the petitions.
However, Justice Isa had stated that he did not consider “this bench a bench”. He also said that he could not be a part of any bench until the verdict on the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023 was announced.
At the same time, Justice Isa said that he was not recusing himself from hearing the case. Justice Masood had agreed with Justice Isa’s views.
However, CJP Bandial decided to move forward with hearing the case and formed a fresh seven-member bench, excluding justices Isa and Masood.