Three special courts formed to hear terrorism cases

E-Paper | May 22, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Three special courts were formed on Thursday in accordance with the Protection of Pakistan Act to preside over cases relating to terrorism. Five special courts are to be formed in total.

The three courts have been formed in Peshawar, Lahore and Quetta in accordance with the Protection of Pakistan Act passed by the Parliament in order to curb rising militancy in the country.

Judge Mukarrab Khan will head the special court in Lahore, whereas Judge Zafar Khosa and Judge Anwar Ali Khan will preside over the courts in Quetta and Peshawar respectively.

Sindh is also scheduled to get special courts but these are yet to be established.

Also read: How bad is the PPA?

The latest measures come days after the country's political leadership agreed to establish military courts in order to try terror suspects in what appeared to be a virtual bypassing of the superior judiciary and the Supreme Court's 1999 verdict which had declared such tribunals as unconstitutional.

It moreover comes as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has stated his resolve to go forward with the establishment of military courts come what may. Speaking in the Senate on Wednesday, the prime minister said he was determined to go ahead with the option of military courts even though he too had “a lurking suspicion that one day” he may have to face “such a forum”.

Military courts have become a subject of controversy with certain political parties expressing reservations on their proposed establishment.

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Court

Jan 01, 2015 12:11pm

Fast track court be assembled terrorists need a fast response, be hanged and terminated; no need for extensive details; If the Military find and catch them fighting and they do not surrender, they need to be terminated, not to waste Court time.

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ishrat salim

Jan 01, 2015 12:20pm

Special courts formed in Peshawar & Quetta...fine, why in Lahore ? is Lahore more vulnerable & effected than Karachi ? this kind of action exposes govt priority ? this is discrimination.

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Hashim

Jan 01, 2015 12:21pm

Good news

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Mian Shahid Mehmood

Jan 01, 2015 12:35pm

NS (prime minister) why you are afraid of your trial in the proposed military courts; you are not a terrorists. Yes, Yes, you are in the habit of supporting those who are the friends of terrorists and in the core of your heart you have the guilt. Every body know now that you are supporting the cause which Molvi Abdul Aziz of Lal Masjid is teaching while sitting in the center of the federation i.e. why you are afraid of one day to be tried in the Military Courts.

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Irshad Khan Canada

Jan 01, 2015 01:14pm

Three more courts with hand picked civil Judges by Nawaz Sharif, what will be the difference between existing useless anti terrorism court and these three Courts..???

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Janu Not-German

Jan 01, 2015 01:47pm

A special court should be in Jhang as well

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Shan

Jan 01, 2015 01:50pm

first three courts under PPA are established after almost 6 months of passing of the act. I understand its only due to the overburdening of the government machinery as they are making days and nights one for thinking about the progress of country. Otherwise it could be done alongwith other measures of PPA (even objecvtionable) before now. as government is sincerely thinking and taking the country on progress path suddenly someone said that they would eradicate injustice through military courts. this made the government astonished that is there really injustice in country? so they decided that once they showcased a law, lets use it for making a twist in the drama.

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farhad

Jan 01, 2015 03:40pm

whom these THREE courts will punish ? where are those culprits / terrorists caught ? ... whereas, a 17 year old boy was booked under terrorist activity, who sent a joke text to his school Principal for unfounded bomb hoax just to get an extended winter vacations, will be tried in these courts ? PPP / JI/ ANP / JUIF / MQM have militant wings and they are adamant, and resolutely against formation of military courts ... they may agree eventually, on paper, but they are abetting these culprits to leak out of our territorial boundary beyond which jurisdiction of these courts cease to exist. so what next ?. Zardari bailed out 8000 criminals from jails in lieu of NRO.... who are those people and what they are doing now ??? why this information was not made available to this nation. ? will he be tried for this ? no wonder he is seeing writing on wall for himself .... he had made a feeble attempt to convince Govt that military will indict PM as well, assumptions.... so, as a nation will we ever be respected in the eyes of our own judiciary and politicians who always discard us once they are in power ?.... if military courts are formed we expect all and sundries will brought to book.... else, we are living a leech's life and seems happy with this.

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kailas

Jan 01, 2015 04:11pm

By forming special courts to try terror-related cases is positive step in the right direction. Speedy trial and punishment bring some fear in the minds of criminals whenever they attempt anti-human activities.

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Kamal Pasha

Jan 01, 2015 05:09pm

@ishrat salim, There are more criminals in Punjab are on death row then any province in Pakistan.

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M. Siddique

Jan 01, 2015 07:26pm

Special courts are better than military courts. These are constitutional and will speed up terrorists' cases.

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Yawar

Jan 02, 2015 03:10am

Take all terrorism cases and move them to the military which is the only organization in Pakistan that is in a position to tackle such cases without hindrance. Do not give any leeway to terrorists.

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