ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that the federal government can invoke treason charges under Article 6 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) relating to terrorism against the state instead of trying terror suspects by military courts.

A 17-member full court bench, headed by Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk, heard petitions filed against the 18th and 21st amendments.

During the hearing, Attorney General Salman Butt continued his arguments in defence of the 21st amendment and the constitution of military courts.

He said that certain people have been brought under the ambit of military courts.

Butt said that military courts have been set up in order to speed up the trials of those accused of terrorism. As in the previous year, he said, 85 per cent of terrorism cases were left pending by civil courts.

Another member of the bench, Justice Dost Khosa, observed that the government did not demand to establish military courts during a previous Swat operation when the situation was far graver than today.

Butt contended that militants have spilled over to other areas thus demanding swifter action from the government.

The hearing of the case was subsequently adjourned until tomorrow.

Military courts were agreed upon by the political leadership under the National Action Plan (NAP) against terrorism adopted in December after the Peshawar school tragedy in which 150 students and staff lost their lives.

The Parliament later amended the Constitution and the Army Act to pave the way for the establishment of military courts for a period of two years.

The army has set up nine courts — three each in KP and Punjab, two in Sindh and one in Balochistan.