ISLAMABAD, March 5: Pakistan Bar Council has invited the representatives of major lawyers’ bodies to decide what course of action to take against the inclusion military officers in anti- terrorism courts.

The meeting will be held in the Karachi Hall of the Lahore High Court Bar Association, at 9pm on March 9.

The PBC invited representatives of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Provincial Bar Councils, High Court Bar Association and District Bar Association to discuss and decide on taking joint action against the said Ordinance and ATCs.

Before the Lahore High Court (LHC) order suspending the operation of ATA Ordinance to the extent of inducting military officers in the ATCs as judges, Pakistan Bar Council had also called upon the lawyers not to appear before Anti-Terrorism Courts.

Pakistan Bar Council had condemned the promulgation of Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance 2002, providing for the reconstitution of anti-terrorism courts with military officers as their members.

According to the PBC such anti-terrorism courts would be military courts for all intents and purposes and this would be unconstitutional.”

The federal government on Jan 31, 2002 amended the anti- terrorism law providing that the three-member ATA court would consist of a judge, a magistrate and an army officer, not below the rank of a Lieutenant-Colonel.

The law provides that in case of a difference of opinion amongst members of the court, majority’s decision would prevail.