RAWALPINDI: Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Friday confirmed death sentence awarded to 14 hardcore terrorists in heinous offences.

According to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the terrorists were involved in attacks on the armed forces and law enforcement agencies, communications infrastructure, police stations and educational institutions which also left innocent civilians dead.

On the whole, their terrorist activities left 16 people dead, including 13 members of the armed forces and three civilians, besides causing injuries to 19 other people. Arms and explosives were also recovered from possession of these terrorists.

The convicts, who were members of a proscribed organisation, were tried by special military courts.

They admitted to their offences before judicial magistrates and were awarded death sentence. Twenty convicts have been awarded imprisonment.

According to details of the cases, Mohi Ud Din, son of Salah Ud Din, and Gul Zameen, son of Shah Kameen Khan, were involved in attacks on the armed forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan, which resulted in the death of a civilian and three soldiers and injuries to five other soldiers. They were also found in possession of explosives.

Fazal Hadi, son of Bakht Rawan, was involved in an attack on the armed forces, which resulted in the death of three soldiers. He was also involved in the destruction of Hazara/Gulibagh Bridge and a police station, as well as kidnapping two civilians for ransom.

Muhammad Wahab, son of Hazrat Buland; Gul Muhammad, son of Ghulam Sardar; Bashir Ahmed, son of Nadir Khan; and Afreen Khan, son of Masam Khan, were involved in attacks on law enforcement agencies, which resulted in the death of Subedar Awal Khan and Naik Azmat Ullah and injuries to another soldier. They were also found in possession of firearms and explosives.

Barkat Ali, son of Bakht Hazir; Muhammad Islam, son of Muhammad Zada; Rooh Ul Amin, son of Zarin; and Shtamand, son of Baishmand, were involved in the killing of innocent civilians and attacks on the armed forces, which resulted in the death of civilians Muhammad Umar and Mukhtiar Ahmad, Havildar Allah Dita and Sepoy Bacha Hussain and injuries to two civilians.

They were also involved in the destruction of government’s educational institutions for girls in Swat. They were also found in possession of firearms and explosives.

Bacha Wazir, son of Bakhat Nazir, was involved in attacks on the armed forces, which resulted in the death of Naik Ghulam Hassan and injuries to another soldier. He was also found in possession of firearms and explosives.

Mohammad, son of Abdul Shakoor, was involved in attacks on law enforcement agencies, which resulted in the death of Sepoy Sajid Khan and injuries to five other soldiers. He was also found in possession of firearms and explosives.

Muhammad Ismail, son of Ibrahim, was involved in attacks on law enforcement agencies and the armed forces, which resulted in the death of a soldier and injuries to two other soldiers. He was also found in possession of firearms.

Japan envoy meets COAS

Meanwhile, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan Takashi Kurai called on Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa in Islamabad on Friday to bid farewell at the end of his tenure in Pakistan.

Matters of mutual interest were discussed during the meeting.

The army chief appreciated the Japanese ambassador’s efforts to strengthen bilateral relations and assured him of full support in all initiatives aimed at further enhancing the ties.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2018