Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial Tuesday turned down the government’s request to establish a full court to hear the multiple petitions challenging the trial of civilians in military courts, terming the demand “impossible”.
The CJP’s remarks came during a hearing of the petitions in the apex court by a six-member bench that also included Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi, and Justice Ayesha A Malik.
In response to the government’s request, made through Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan, the CJP said: “When the bench was first formed, all the judges were consulted and the bench was formed based on the available judges.”
“It is impossible to make a full court at this time,” he said, adding that doing so is impossible on a technical basis.
