to be recorded in writing and to be conclusive, it is not practicable with due regard to
discipline and the exigencies of the service to try the alleged offender by a general Court
martial,
85. Composition of general Court martial. A general Court martial shall consist of not less than
five officers each of whom has held a commission for not less than three whole years and of whom
not less than four are of a rank not below that of captain.
86. Composition of district Court martial. A district Court martial shall consist of not less than
three officers each of whom has held a commission for a continuous period of not less than two
years.
87. Composition of field general Court martial. A field general Court martial shall consist of
not less than three officers.
88. Summary Courts martial.___(1) A summary Court martial may be held by the commanding
officer of any corps of unit or any detachment thereof.
(2) At every summary Court martial, the officer holding the trial shall alone constitute the Court,
but the proceedings shall be attended throughout by two officers, or two junior Commissioned
officers, or one officer and one junior commissioned officer, who shall not as such be sworn or
affirmed.
1[(3) In the trial of an accused who is a Muslim for an offence punishable under an Islamic law,
the officer holding the trial, and the officers and junior commissioned officers attending the trial under
subsection (2), shall all be Muslims ; and, where the commanding officer is a nonMuslim, a Muslim
officer shall be appointed by the formation commander for holding the trial].
89. Dissolution of Courts martial.___(1) If a Court martial after the commencement of a trial is
reduced below the smallest number of officers of which it is by this Act required to consist, it shall be
dissolved.
1 Added by the Pakistan Army (Amdt.) Ordinance, 1984 (36 of 1984), s. 9.
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