KARACHI: Former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association Yaseen Azad said on Saturday that the bar associations would go to court against the proposed setting up of military courts if the move negated the very spirit of the Constitution.

Speaking at a press conference at the Supreme Court’s Karachi registry, he said the legal fraternity had agreed with the political leadership and the government’s all decisions to uproot terrorism except the formation of military courts as they conflicted with the Constitution.

He said the apex court had struck down the establishment of military courts in 1999 when it was approached. Once again, he added, the government was going to legislate for the formation of the same courts.

Mr Azad called upon the government to strengthen the existing criminal justice system by increasing the number of courts and providing protection to the judges.

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2014