Islamabad , June 12, 2023: The National Assembly (NA) on Monday passed a resolution seeking trial of suspects involved in May 9 incidents under the military laws.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif tabled the resolution. Addressing the NA session, he said military installations were attacked under a well-crafted plan, adding that nothing but installations and martyrs’ graveyards were brought under attacks.
He went on to say that no Pakistani could tolerate desecration of martyrs’ graveyards, adding that attempts were made to burn 85 airplanes parked at the Miawali airbase. “We have the evidence on May 9 events,” he added.
Former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Yusuf Raza Gilani did not have the “way” to appeal, but those accused of May 9 events had the right to appeal, he said.
Mr Asif continued by saying that the American authorities jailed the attackers of White House and Capitol Hill for 18 years, adding that they did not take such actions on human rights violations in Gaza. “Attacks on military installations are trialed in military courts all over the world,” he added.
“We have not made any new law, it was already present,” he said.
The minister said terrorism laws would be invoked to try terrorism cases, adding that attackers of PAF planes and Qila Bilhasar would be tried under the Army Act. “It is the right of defence forces to invoke the law to try attackers of military installations,” he added.
He said the country’s system had been “compromised to a greater extent”, adding that it was before anyone how parliament’s authority was misused.