A big judgment.

It was four-to-one on the bench and the four in question have decided that civilians being tried for the May 9th riots shall not be tried in military courts. Regardless of how one feels about the perpetrators of the acts of that day, the principled stance should be to appreciate this decision by the Supreme Court.

The apex court said the trials of 103 civilians and accused persons, identified by the government in a list provided to the SC, and all other persons who may be placed under trial in connection with the events of May 9 should be held in criminal courts.

'It is further declared that any action or proceedings under the Army Act in respect of the aforesaid persons or any other persons so similarly placed (including but not limited to trial by court martial) are and would be of no legal effect,' the court added.

For those awfully concerned about Pakistan's image abroad, it is worth noting that it is steps like these that redeem our image as a republic with a working judicial system. The counterclaim to a statement like this would be that the impression of impunity being given to rioters doesn't do our image any good either. But that...