Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ali Muhammad Khan has firmly stated that he does not support the trial of political civilians in military courts under any circumstances.
Speaking on Express News program Center Stage, Khan remarked, “No lawyer, no political worker, and no one who believes in the Constitution can accept such trials. Military courts should be exclusively for terrorists and those engaged in acts of terrorism against the state.” He further emphasized, “If such practices were wrong a thousand years ago, they are still wrong today.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khurram Dastgir described recent sentences handed down by military courts as “a welcome step” and stated that justice has been served for the families of martyrs. Dastgir criticized former U.S. official Richard Grenell’s comments on Pakistan’s judicial processes, calling them “completely irresponsible.”
Economist Salman Shah, also featured on the program, discussed tax reforms, highlighting the long-standing failure of Pakistan’s tax policies. “Non-filer penalties and approaches to expand the tax net have been attempted 20 to 22 times, often under IMF programs,” he said.
Shah added, “The core issue is the lack of trust in the tax system. Currently, there are around 2.7 million filers in Pakistan. Restricting non-filers from purchasing cars or engaging in financial activities is ineffective and a reflection of a broken system.”
The discussion sheds light on pressing economic, judicial, and political challenges facing Pakistan as debates continue over accountability and governance reforms.
