Peshawar, Nov 27 (PTI): Banned terror group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has said the Supreme Court verdict against the trial of civilians in military courts would help facilitate the release of its members facing similar trials.
In a statement posted on social media on Sunday, TTP spokesperson Muhammad Khurasani said the court order has shown that Pakistan's higher judiciary has the courage to take decisions against anti-Islam forces in the country.
Pakistan's Supreme Court on October 23 declared the trial of civilians arrested following the violent protests on May 9 in military courts as "null and void" and ordered authorities to conduct their hearing in ordinary courts.
A five-member bench of the Supreme Court led by Justice Ijazul Ahsan in its short verdict ordered that 102 accused arrested under the Army Act be tried in a criminal court.
The court said the trial of any civilian held in a military court has been declared "null and void".
In the statement, Khurasani said the Supreme Court's unanimous verdict against the trial of civilians in military courts has won the hearts of the TTP.
The verdict proved that the sentences awarded to the "TTP warriors" by the military courts were "biased and illegal", he said.
"The TTP remained victim of injustices of the military courts during its struggle for imposition for Islamic system in the country as many of their men were awarded rigorous imprisonment by the military courts," the statement said.
The Supreme Court verdict has proved that Pakistan's higher judiciary has the courage to take decisions against anti-Islam forces in the country, it said. PTI AYZ DIV DIV
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