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| Pakistan votes for insurgents to face military trials | Pakistan votes for insurgents to face military trials |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The lower house of Pakistan's parliament has voted in favour of military trials for terror suspects. | |
| The move is the latest in a raft of measures aimed at stepping up Pakistan's anti-terror operations after December's attack on a Peshawar school. | |
| The attack, carried out by Taliban insurgents, left 152 people dead, including 133 children. | The attack, carried out by Taliban insurgents, left 152 people dead, including 133 children. |
| The bill will now pass to the upper house before being signed into law by the president later this week. | The bill will now pass to the upper house before being signed into law by the president later this week. |
| Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said in late December that establishing military trials would help ensure "terrorists pay the price" for their "heinous acts". | Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said in late December that establishing military trials would help ensure "terrorists pay the price" for their "heinous acts". |
| The military and government have said the trials are a response to extraordinary circumstances and will only remain in place for two years. | |
| Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said last week that they would have a limited mandate, and that ordinary civilians would not be pursued by them. | Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said last week that they would have a limited mandate, and that ordinary civilians would not be pursued by them. |
| The leader of the opposition, Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, said in parliament on Tuesday that while he had not been in favour of military courts in the past, "the Pakistani public's safety is our priority and it is the government's responsibility to keep the masses safe in this country". | The leader of the opposition, Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, said in parliament on Tuesday that while he had not been in favour of military courts in the past, "the Pakistani public's safety is our priority and it is the government's responsibility to keep the masses safe in this country". |
| "The bitter pill of this new law is being swallowed for the security of Pakistan," the Dawn newspaper quoted him as saying. | "The bitter pill of this new law is being swallowed for the security of Pakistan," the Dawn newspaper quoted him as saying. |
| In an editorial the newspaper said political leaders had abdicated their responsibilities. | |
| Critics of the military courts oppose handing the army more powers in a country with a history of military coups. | |
| They also fear the process will lead to innocent people being convicted and executed without independent scrutiny inside the courts. | |
| In the wake of the Peshawar attack, Pakistan also lifted a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, meaning hundreds now face execution. | In the wake of the Peshawar attack, Pakistan also lifted a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, meaning hundreds now face execution. |
| Human rights groups say this will not combat terrorism and will only perpetuate a cycle of violence. | |
| The military has also stepped up its campaign against militants in the tribal areas in the north-west of the country. | The military has also stepped up its campaign against militants in the tribal areas in the north-west of the country. |