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DATE=1/30/99 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-244884 TITLE=PAK MILITARY COURTS, UPDATE (L-ONLY) BYLINE=SARAH HORNER DATELINE=ISLAMABAD CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: PAKISTAN PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF SAYS HIS GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO SET UP MILITARY COURTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY IN AN EFFORT TO COMBAT VIOLENCE. MILITARY COURTS ARE ALREADY OPERATING IN PAKISTAN'S COMMERCIAL CAPITAL, KARACHI. SARAH HORNER HAS THE DETAILS FROM ISLAMABAD. TEXT: PRIME MINISTER SHARIF MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN LAHORE, THE CAPITAL OF THE CENTRAL PUNJAB PROVINCE. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN PUNJAB IN A WAVE OF SECTARIAN AND POLITICAL VIOLENCE WHICH HAS SWEPT THE PROVINCE OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. MR. SHARIF SAYS THE ORDER TO ESTABLISH MILITARY COURTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY IS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. UNDER PROVISIONS OF THE ORDER THE MILITARY COURTS WILL BE ABLE TO TRY PEOPLE IN ABSTENTIA -- WITHOUT THEM BEING IN THE COURTROOM. MILITARY COURTS IN KARACHI, PAKISTAN'S PORT CITY IN THE SOUTHERN SINDH PROVINCE, WERE ESTABLISHED LAST NOVEMBER. KARACHI HAS BEEN PLAGUED FOR MANY YEARS BY ETHNIC AND POLITICAL VIOLENCE, WHICH HAS KILLED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. THE DECISION TO SET UP THE KARACHI MILITARY COURTS WAS WIDELY CRITICIZED BY HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS. LAWYER AND SENIOR OFFICIAL OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF PAKISTAN, ASMA JAHANGIR, SAYS THE SETTING UP OF MORE MILITARY COURTS FURTHER UNDERMINES DEMOCRACY IN PAKISTAN. // JAHANGIR ACT // I THINK IT IS A VERY UNHAPPY SITUATION BECAUSE THE MILITARY COURTS IN KARACHI ARE VERY CONTROVERSIAL. THE VERY PURPOSE OF THESE COURTS IS FOR EASY CONVICTIONS AND QUICK CONVICTIONS. IT ALSO HAS ANOTHER RAMIFICATION -- THE PRIME MINISTER PROBABLY DOES NOT REALIZE -- BUT HE IS REALLY PAVING THE WAY TO MILITARY RULE. // END ACT // PAKISTAN'S SUPREME COURT HAS HALTED THE CARRYING OUT OF DEATH SENTENCES PASSED BY THE KARACHI MILITARY COURTS, AND IS MEETING MONDAY TO CONSIDER THE VALIDITY OF THE COURTS. MS. JAHANGIR SAYS SATURDAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT OF FURTHER MILITARY COURTS IS A CLEAR SIGNAL TO THE SUPREME COURT THAT PRIME MINISTER SHARIF IS UNHAPPY WITH ITS PERFORMANCE AND IS WILLING TO ESTABLISH A PARALLEL JUDICIARY. (SIGNED) NEB/SLH/GE 30-Jan-99 12:50 PM EST (1750 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .