Setting up of military courts: President Mamnoon signs bills into law

Published January 7, 2015
President Mamnoon Hussain - AP/File
President Mamnoon Hussain - AP/File

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain on Wednesday signed the 21st Constitutional Amendment Bill of 2015 as well as the Pakistan Army Act 1952 Amendment into law at the Presidency.

Both bills were approved in the Parliament yesterday.

Know more: Parliament passes 21st Constitutional Amendment, Army Act Amendment

The Parliament had adopted the 21st Constitutional Amendment Bill and the The Pakistan Army amendment Bill 2015 unopposed after 247 Members of National Assembly along with the Senate voted in favour of the laws aimed to set up constitutionally protected military courts to try civilian terror suspects.

Speaking in the Senate yesterday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had spoken as to why it was necessary to pass the amendment bill.

"This bill is about military courts trying hardcore terrorists who kill Pakistanis...this is an important day for Pakistan when the nation decided that terrorists will be taken out from the roots," he had said.

The Presidency received literature of the bills last night from the Parliament's secretariat and these were tabled at the Presidency this morning. After the president's signatures, the Law Ministry notified the official gazette of Pakistan.

Take a look: The new martial powers

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