Resolution supporting military trials against civilians is unconstitutional, says Raza Rabbani

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senior leader Raza Rabbani said on Monday that a resolution in favour of military trials against civilians is unconstitutional, promising that he will continue opposing it.

Last week, the Senate passed a resolution against the Supreme Court’s (SC) decision on civilian trials in military courts, calling for halting implementation of the judgment “unless it is considered by a larger bench”. 

Jamaat-e-Islami’s Mushtaq Ahmed and PPP’s Rabbani opposed the resolution against the apex court’s decision.

Speaking in the Senate on Monday, Raza Rabbani said that he voted for setting up military courts in the country in 2015 as he was bound by his party’s discipline.

He also said that he voted in support of the resolution at the time on behalf of PPP. “I was ashamed for voting for the bill,” he said, adding that he, even today, was ashamed.

After voting in favour of setting up military courts in January 2015, the senator was in tears.

Rabbani said that he “never felt as ashamed” as he was on that day.