ISLAMABAD: A group of five women rights activists has approached the apex court for becoming a party in a petition filed against the trial of May 9 rioters in the country’s military courts.
Some civil society members had filed constitution Petition 26 of 2023 on June 10. The petitioners had challenged the trial of civilians allegedly involved in attacks on civil and military properties and memorials on May 9 under the Pakistan Army Act, 1952 and requested the top court to declare these trials as “void ab initio and of no legal effect”.
On Thursday, some women rights activists filed an intervener application, requesting the apex court to implead them as petitioners in the petition being already heard.
Nighat Said Khan is the founding member of the Women Action Forum (WAF); Neelam Hussain is a founding member of the Joint Action Committee Lahore; Maryam Hussain is a human rights activist, Farida Shaheed is a sociologist and human rights activist; and Maheen Pracha is a senior manager of research and communication at the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).
“These public-spirited citizens also desire to challenge the court-martial/military trials of civilians as such court-martial/military trials of civilians are a violation of fundamental rights guaranteed under, inter alia, Articles 10-A, 14, and 25, Constitution, 1973,” said the petition.
A six-member SC larger bench is hearing a slew of petitions filed against the civilians’ court martial.
On May 16, the country’s civil and military leaders endorsed a decision of corps commanders to hold the trial of the people who were involved in the acts of vandalism after the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan on May 9 under the Pakistan Army Act 1952 and the Officials Secrets Act, 1923.
Later, the civilian courts handed over dozens of people — mostly the PTI workers and supporters who were rounded up during a massive crackdown to the military authorities for their trial.
