Army chief ratifies death sentence of 10 terror convicts
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has confirmed death sentences awarded to 10 militants by military courts for their involvement in various acts of terrorism.
According to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement issued on Friday, the "hardcore terrorists" were convicted of killing innocent civilians and soldiers and attacking law-enforcement agencies (LEAs), armed forces personnel and education institutions of the country.
The 10 convicts were behind the killing of as many as 41 security personnel, and injuries sustained by 33 others, the ISPR said. Arms and explosives were also recovered from their possession.
In addition to these militants, three other convicts were awarded imprisonment of varying periods by the military courts.
All 10 convicts, who were members of proscribed organisations, admitted their offences before a magistrate and the trial court, and were subsequently awarded death sentences, the military's media wing said.
A snapshot of the convicts and the cases in which they were involved, as provided by ISPR, follows:
Samiur Rahman s/o Gul Habib and Azeem Khan s/o Shaiber
The convicts were involved in attacks on LEAs and armed forces, which resulted in the deaths of Major Muhammad Ihsan, nine soldiers as well as two police officials and injuries to 13 others. They were also found in possession of firearms and explosives.
Arshad Bilal s/o Khadim Khan and Anwar Ali s/o Fazal Ghaffar
The convicts were involved in attacks on armed forces which resulted in the deaths of nine soldiers and injuries to nine others. They were also involved in the destruction of Government Boys Primary School, Langer, Swat as well as found in possession of firearms and explosives.
Muhammad Aleem s/o Abdul Rasheed and Fazal Aleem s/o Abdul Rasheed
The convicts were involved in attacks on LEAs and armed forces which resulted in the deaths of four soldiers. They were also involved in destruction of Government Boys High School, Nangolai, Swat.
Rasool Muhammad s/o Ahmed Jan
The convict was involved in attacks on LEAs and armed forces which resulted in the deaths of four soldiers. The convict also abetted other terrorists in killing civilian Said Raheem as well as Assistant Sub Inspector Irshad Ali, Head Constable Sarwar Ali Khan and Head Constable Sher Ahmed of police.
Sohail Ahmed s/o Usman Ali
The convict was involved in killing of innocent civilians and attacks on LEAs which resulted in the deaths of three civilians, Sub-Inspector Mustafa Khan, a constable of police and injuries to four others. He was also found in possession of explosives.
Naimatullah s/o Ahmed
The convict was involved in attacks on the country's armed forces, which resulted in the deaths of two soldiers and injuries to four others. He was also found in possession of firearms and explosives.
Rahmat Ali s/o Noor Said
The convict was involved in attacks on armed forces which resulted in the death of a soldier. He was also found in possession of firearms.
Pakistan had legalised military court trials of terror suspects for a period of two years in January 2015, soon after terrorists killed 144 people, mostly children, at an Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar. Military courts had been disbanded owing to a sunset clause on January 7 but resumed operations after Pakistan Army Act 2017 and the 28th Constitutional Amendment Bill came into force late March.