ISLAMABAD, Jan 30: The Supreme Court Bar Association has condemned the government plan of appointing military officers as members of the Anti-Terrorism Courts, cautioning that lawyers community would strongly oppose the establishment of such courts.

“The Executive Committee of SCBA is of the considered view that the Military Court or any court with participation of Military Personnel therein are unconstitutional,” the SCBA President, Hamid Khan, said.

The committee meeting, which was held in Islamabad and presided over by Hamid Khan, took serious notice of the news items that the government was considering establishment of anti-terrorism courts with military personnel as its members.

The SCBA demanded of the federal and the provincial governments to strictly follow the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court regarding Anti-Terrorism Courts in Liaquat Hussain’s case.

The Executive Committee of SCBA also strongly condemned the deletion of the provisions of statutory bail under sections 426 and 497 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and demanded immediate restoration of the same. “The step was clearly violative of the fundamental human right of liberty guaranteed under Article 9 of the Constitution.