APROPOS of your editorial ‘Military justice’ (April 4), six terrorists have been sentenced to death and one to life imprisonment by the military court.

One wonders whether the convicts had been given a fair trial. Who are these men? What evidence was presented? What crimes have they been accused of? Had they been represented by lawyers of their own choice? What modus operandi was adopted in the court for convicting them? Why was the trial held in camera? Does the officer who pronounced the judgement fulfil the requirements of a judge?

The judicial system never works in a way where nobody is aware of the charges. Article 10-A of the Constitution guarantees fair trial to everyone and should not be trampled upon at any cost. We all are against terrorism and want an exemplary punishment be awarded to terrorists but justice should never be compromised for the sake of quick dispensation.

Our legislators should have never compromised on our fundamental right to a fair trial and should have discussed the modus operandi of military courts. Not a single legislator spoke against military courts. They all compromised on our fundamental right to a fair trial.

I hope our honourable Supreme Court will strike down the 21st Amendment and give back our right to a fair trial because an innocent can also be convicted if the right to a fair trial is denied.

“There is no crueller tyranny than that which is perpetuated under the shield of law and in the name of justice,” said Charles de Montesquieu

Dr Khurrum Fiazuddin
Karachi

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play