海角大神

A daily summary of global reports on security issues.

Pakistan鈥檚 top court ruled Wednesday that civilians accused of terrorism can be tried in military courts, significantly expanding the jurisdiction of military tribunals and raising concerns among human rights activists about the balance of military and civilian power.

The decision upholds a parliamentary move earlier this year to allow civilians to be tried and given the death sentence by military courts over the next two years. It is unclear when the secretive trials will begin again after being suspended by the Supreme Court鈥檚 review.

The government has been under pressure to crack down on militants following a Taliban attack on a school in Peshawar last year. Some 147 people, almost all children or young teens, were killed in what appeared to be retribution for earlier military operations against the Taliban, according to 海角大神.

The Monitor also pointed out that while the school was run by the military, most students were not from military families. It was the worst attack in Pakistan since 2007.

Soon after the attack, the government took action to crack down on militants, lifting a ban on executions that had been in place since 2008, The Associated Press reports.

Since then, some 200 people have been hanged, many of whom were not convicted on terrorism-related charges. Parliament also established that military courts could oversee terrorist cases following the Peshawar attack.

Today's ruling is seen as a victory for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his ruling party. Apparently referring to Taliban behavior, Mr. Sharif said that "Unusual situations warrant unusual measures.鈥� He said he believed the promise of a military trial could help deter future terrorist attacks.

Despite the argument that terrorists can manipulate or intimidate the civilian courts, serious concerns are being voiced over the potential for rights violations in military trials. Mr. Sharif said the courts would only target 鈥渉ard-core terrorists,鈥� but evidence is already emerging that challenges that assertion, Reuters reports.

Pakistan鈥檚 move toward implementing military trials for civilians could be a step back for a country that has struggled to establish independence from military influence, some analysts say. The first non-military handover of power in Islamabad took place only two years ago, for example.聽

A report by the International Crisis Group last month noted that, 鈥淭he militarisation of counter-terrorism policy puts at risk Pakistan鈥檚 evolution toward greater civilian rule, which is itself a necessary but not sufficient condition to stabilise the democratic transition.鈥�

The report acknowledged that having a 鈥渃oercive鈥� counterterrorism policy can make targeting militants more efficient, but stated that Pakistan won't make great inroads in curtailing terrorist activities without structural, democratic reforms.