Abbas Town bombing, Nishtar Park carnage cases to be tried by military courts

The interior ministry has approved transfer of 90 terrorism cases, including the Nishtar Park and Abbas Town bomb blasts cases, to military courts for trial. Those to be tried in these cases by are associated with banned Deobandi takfiri militant outfits, including Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (ASWJ), Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Tehreek-e-Taliban Swat.

The interior ministry has approved transfer of 90 terrorism cases, including the Nishtar Park and Abbas Town bomb blasts cases, to military courts for trial. Those to be tried in these cases by are associated with banned Deobandi takfiri militant outfits, including Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (ASWJ), Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Tehreek-e-Taliban Swat.

Sources said that the federal government had approved a total of 90 cases for trial by military courts established under the Pakistan Army Act, 1952.

The interior ministry has sent 90 terrorism cases, including 13 from Sindh, to military courts for trial

The sources said that the home and tribal affairs department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Sindh home department had referred cases to the interior ministry in June and November, 2017, respectively, seeking transfer of trials to military courts.

Judicial sources told Dawn that 13 cases, including the 2006 Nishtar Park bombing, 2013 Abbas Town blast and armed attacks on law enforcers in Karachi, were referred by the Sindh home department.

The transfer of 90 cases, including 13 referred by the Sindh government, to military courts was approved, they added.

The sources said these cases were currently pending trial against 11 arrested and 14 absconding suspects in the antiterrorism and sessions’ courts concerned in Karachi and Sukkur since some held suspects had been shifted from the metropolis due to security concerns.