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.

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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.