The caretaker Sindh government has clarified that it has not challenged the Supreme Court decision against the military trial of civilians.

“The appeal in ‘Trial of Civilians before Military Courts’ case has not been filed in the Supreme Court of Pakistan,” said a statement from the Chief Minister’s House on Saturday.

On Thursday, media reported that the caretaker Sindh government has challenged the apex court’s decision to declare the military trials of civilians arrested in the wake of violent protests in the country on May 9 null and void.

In an application filed in the apex court, the interim government urged the court to annul the judgement.

Last month, a five-member SC bench declared Section 2(1)(d) of the Army Act, which elaborates on persons subject to the Act, to be in violation of the Constitution and “of no legal effect”. The court also declared Section 59(4) (civil offences) of the Act to be unconstitutional. Justice Afridi disagreed with striking down the sections.

The interim Sindh government statement added: “The impression that the Sindh government has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court for the trial of civilians in military courts is baseless.”

The development comes a day after the defence ministry and the federal government challenged the top court decision. Similar petitions were also been filed by the interim Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan governments.

The SC had stopped the military from conducting trial of civilians on October 23, stirring debate in the caretaker government that had hinted at challenging the decision.