Zardari asks PPP to oppose military courts' extension

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday directed party leaders to oppose any proposal seeking the extension of military courts, local media reported on Thursday.

The decision of the PPP leader, who is also a former President of Pakistan, comes a couple of days after the government said it has started consultation with political parties to introduce an amendment in Parliament to bring back the military courts, Geo News reported.

PPP leaders said Zardari has asked them to adopt a strict a stance against the military courts during the joint session of National Assembly and the Senate on January 17, according to the report.

Zardari, who held a long meeting with Opposition leader Khursheed Shah, also said that the other opposition parties should be consulted for election reforms, the news report added.

The military courts, the legislation for which expired last week, were set up to try civilians on terror charges in Pakistan after a militant attack at Peshawar's Army Public School in 2014.

--IANS

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