Islamabad, Pakistan's Supreme Court on Monday ordered Attorney General Mansoor Awan to address the concerns of families of May 9 riot suspects who said they had not been able to meet prisoners.
The order by a seven-member court came during the hearing on intra-judicial petitions filed against the trial in military courts of civilians involved in the May 9 violence last year, Geo News reported.
The events of May 9 and 10, 2023 refer to the violent protests that broke out in different parts of the country following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in an alleged corruption case.
Following the arrest of Khan, founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) party, his supporters attacked and looted government and military facilities, prompting authorities to try rioters in military courts.
"The families have stated that they have not met with the prisoners. The attorney general should address these complaints," the order said.
The court then adjourned the hearing until July 11.
In May, the top court had referred the matter to the Procedure Committee for reconstitution of the court after reservations were raised against the six-member board.
Former Chief Justice Jawad S Khawaja's lawyer Khawaja Ahmad Hasan, objecting to the bench, said a larger bench should be constituted in the light of the note by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Yahya Afridi.
On January 29, Judge Tariq Masood was spared from hearing intra-judicial appeals against civilian trials in a military court, leading to the dissolution of a larger six-member court.
In October last year, the Supreme Court declared the prosecution of civilians in military courts unconstitutional. He said 103 people and others who may be prosecuted in connection with the events that occurred on May 9 and 10 could be tried by criminal courts established under the country's ordinary or special law.
The Supreme Court, by a 5-1 majority, suspended its October 23 order declaring civilian trials in military courts in connection with the May 9 riots null and void.
The order by a seven-member court came during the hearing on intra-judicial petitions filed against the trial in military courts of civilians involved in the May 9 violence last year, Geo News reported.
The events of May 9 and 10, 2023 refer to the violent protests that broke out in different parts of the country following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in an alleged corruption case.
Following the arrest of Khan, founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) party, his supporters attacked and looted government and military facilities, prompting authorities to try rioters in military courts.
"The families have stated that they have not met with the prisoners. The attorney general should address these complaints," the order said.
The court then adjourned the hearing until July 11.
In May, the top court had referred the matter to the Procedure Committee for reconstitution of the court after reservations were raised against the six-member board.
Former Chief Justice Jawad S Khawaja's lawyer Khawaja Ahmad Hasan, objecting to the bench, said a larger bench should be constituted in the light of the note by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Yahya Afridi.
On January 29, Judge Tariq Masood was spared from hearing intra-judicial appeals against civilian trials in a military court, leading to the dissolution of a larger six-member court.
In October last year, the Supreme Court declared the prosecution of civilians in military courts unconstitutional. He said 103 people and others who may be prosecuted in connection with the events that occurred on May 9 and 10 could be tried by criminal courts established under the country's ordinary or special law.
The Supreme Court, by a 5-1 majority, suspended its October 23 order declaring civilian trials in military courts in connection with the May 9 riots null and void.
