The Supreme Court on Wednesday by a 5-1 majority suspended its October 23 order wherein it declared civilians’ trials in military courts null and void in connection with the May 9 riots.
The verdict was announced on intra-court appeals filed by the federal and provincial governments and the defence ministry against the top court’s verdict announced by Justice Ijazul Ahsan-led bench in October this year.
A six-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and comprising Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Musarrat Hilali, and Justice Irfan Saadat Khan heard the set of intra-court appeals.
Justice Hilali differed with the majority decision.
The ruling means trials of civilians in military courts will continue till final decision on the appeals.
Earlier, a five-member bench of Supreme Court had nullified the military trials of 103 civilians on October 23.