ISLAMABAD: Rejec­t­ing dialogue with the PTI to resolve issues, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Faz­lur Rehman on Thurs­day endorsed a proposal of establishing military courts to try May 9 rioters under the Army Act.

“If our courts are facilitating terrorists, they (military authorities) will have to take action under the Army Act and we will proceed through people’s court,” the PDM chief said in reply to a question at a press conference whether he supported the idea of trial of PTI demonstrators under the Army Act.

“If they (demonstrat­o­rs) attack military installations, what will the army do?” he asked.

On May 9, a large number of workers and supporters of PTI staged countrywide demonstrations to protest against Mr Khan’s arrest in connection with an alleged corruption case.

The demonstrators des­troyed public and private properties, attacked military installations and ransacked relics of martyrs.

According to Mr Khan more than 40 protestors died in clashes with members of security forces.

On Tuesday, the civil and military leadership resolved to give exemplary punishment under the Army Act to all those involved in hooliganism, arson, ransacking of public and private properties, attacking sensitive military installations and desecration of martyrs’ monuments on May 9.

Commenting on the NSC decision urging all warring political forces to sit on a negotiation table to resolve issues, the PDM chief said: “I am not in favour of dialogue with the PTI.”

He accused courts of giving undue favour to PTI Chairman Imran Khan and his party and said: “Our courts are disgracing the Constitution and the law of the country.”

Maulana Fazl said while the nation had witnessed how the PTI destroyed state assets on May 9, even then courts were facilitating the PTI. “Why courts are giving relief to Imran Khan? We have not seen in the country’s history how a man on remand was given bail,” he said.

The JUI-F chief said the country had two laws: one for the PTI and the other for others.

“I am not in favour of arresting people from their houses, but law should be equal to all. If leaders like Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari, Faryal Talpur and Maryam Nawaz can be arrested, why not others?” he wondered.

In reply to a question about the recently held PDM rally in front of the Supreme Court’s building in the Red Zone despite the fact that no permission had been given to the alliance by the local administration for it, Maulana Fazlur Rehman chief said: “Our application for holding the sit-in was lying with the DC office and it was not rejected, which means we could go with the plan.”

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2023