Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial has constituted a nine member bench to hear petitions against the military trials of the May 9 rioters. The bench also includes puisne judge, Justice Qazi Faez Isa, who was kept out of several important cases for months.

The petitions have been set for hearing on Thursday, June 22 (tomorrow).

Apart from the CJP, the bench includes Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Sardar Tariq and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Khan Afridi, Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, and Justice Ayesha Malik.

The bench will meet at 11:30am on Thursday to hear four petitions filed against the trial of civilians in the military courts.

One of the petitions was filed by Justice Jawad S Khawaja and another by PTI Chairman Imran Khan Niazi.

Hundreds of people were arrested following the May 9 riots that include arson attacks against military installations. The violence erupted after PTI Chairman Imran Khan was arrested in Islamabad in the Rs60 billion corruption case known as the Al-Qadir Trust case.

The CJP formed the nine-member bench on the day President Arif Alvi approved the appointment of Justice Faez Isa as the next chief justice of Pakistan. CJP Bandial retired on September 16 and Justice Faez Isa will become the top judge on September 17.