A soldier stands inside the Army Public School, which was attacked by Taliban gunmen, in Peshawar on December 16. (Reuters photo)
After initial reservations, Pakistan's political leaders today agreed to amend the Constitution to set up military courts for speedy trial of terrorists in the aftermath of the deadly Peshawar school attack.
The decision was reached at a marathon meeting of leaders of all the political parties led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the military leadership at the Prime Minister's House in Islamabad.
Minister for Information Pervaiz Rashid told media that leaders gave their consent to a constitutional amendment bill for creation of military courts.
"The bill will be presented in the National Assembly on Saturday and in the Senate on Tuesday, and after it is passed by the two houses of Parliament, it will become part of the Constitution," he said. He said that that the Army Act will also be amended.
Eminent lawyer Farough Naseem said that the leaders agreed that first, the Army Act should be amended to set up military courts and then constitution be amended to give legal cover to the changes made in the Army Act.
He said it was being done to preempt any action by the Supreme Court which in an earlier decision had already declared the setting up of military courts against the constitution.