ISLAMABAD: Petitions against trials of civilians in military courts fixed for hearing in the Supreme Court on October 23, Bol News reported on Friday.

A five-member bench headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsan will hear the pleas. Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Mazahir Naqvi and Justice Ayesha Malik will also be part of the larger bench.

On July 21, the Supreme Court had stopped the government from military court trials and directed it not to begin the trials without informing the apex court, Bol News had reported.

The top court had adjourned the hearing indefinitely. The then chief justice Umar Ata Bandial had said they would apprise about the next date after mutual consultation.

The petitioner lawyer had said at the time of confessional statements the suspects neither had the facility of lawyer nor anything else. Aitzaz Ahsan had said the government was trying to run away from the case.

During the hearing, lawyer Latif Khosa had given reference from era of former military dictator Ziaul Haq. Upon which, the chief justice had said neither it was a martial law, nor Ziaul Haq’s tenure.