RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif on Wednesday approved death sentences of five “hardcore terrorists”, according to a statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The condemned terrorists include persons involved in the attack and subsequent breakout from Bannu Jail, attacking police officials in Gadap town near Karachi, destroying a girls school in Khyber agency and an attack on a polio vaccination team, said a statement released by the ISPR.

This is the second approval of death sentences by the army chief following Supreme Court’s recent judgment giving legal cover to the establishment of military courts in the country.

Out of the six terrorists sentenced today, five were awarded the death sentence and one was awarded life imprisonment, according to the ISPR.

Read: Army chief approves death sentences of 7 terrorists: ISPR

Political parties had unanimously agreed over the issue of setting up military courts to tackle terrorism cases in the country following the gruesome attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar in December 2014, following which the Parliament passed the 21st constitutional amendment to set up the said courts.

President Mamnoon Hussain had also promulgated an ordinance further revising the recently amended Army Act to ostensibly aid the functioning of military courts by allowing for trials in camera, i.e without the presence of the public or the media, and over video link if necessary.

The Supreme Court in a majority ruling upheld the establishment of military courts in Pakistan.

Petitions challenging the 21st amendment were dismissed in a majority 11-6 vote of the 17-member SC bench. Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk and Justice Dost Muhammad announced the verdict.

In a 14-3 majority vote, petitions challenging the 18th amendment were also dismissed by the bench. Judges provided seven opinions and two additional notes on the ruling.

Also read: Military court ruling challenged in SC

Details of ruling

The ISPR statement also issued details of the convicts and the crimes for which they were sentenced.

Civilian Muhammad Sabir Shah alias Ikram Ullah s/o Sher Hazrat: The convict was an active member of proscribed organisation. He was found involved in abetting the murder of Advocate Syed Arshad Ali in Lahore. He admitted his offence before the magistrate and the trial court. He was tried on solitary charge and awarded the death sentence.

Civilian Hafiz Muhammad Usman alias Abbas alias Asad s/o Ali Dost: The convict was an active member of proscribed organisation. He was found involved in sectarian killings in Quetta and an attack on police officials. He was convicted for killing of Hassan Ali Yousafi, advocate Waliat Hussain and other civilians. He also abetted in the murder of two industrialists namely Syed Talib Agha and Syed Jawad Agha belonging to a particular sect. He was also convicted for attacking and killing four police officials, including DSP Hassan Ali, Constables Nasrullah, Sifatullah and Muhammad Taqi. He admitted his offence before the magistrate and the trial court. He was tried on eleven charges and awarded the death sentence.

Civilian Asad Ali alias Bhai Jan: The convict was an active member of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). He was found involved in possessions of arms and explosives and attacking officials of the Sindh Police, in the Quaidabad area of Karachi which resulted in the death of three individuals including DSP Kamal Mangon and ASI Akbar Hussain and injuries to nine other individuals including three head constables. He admitted his offences before the magistrate and the trial court. He was tried on five charges and awarded the death sentence.

Civilian Tahir s/o Mir Shah Jahan: The convict was an active member of Tehrik-e- Taliban Pakistan. He was involved in attacking /breaking of Bannu Jail owing to which number of terrorists managed to escape from the jail. He was also found involved in attacks on Law Enforcement Agencies which resulted in death of one soldier and injuries to another soldier. He admitted his offence before the magistrate and the trial court. He was tried on three charges and awarded death sentence.

Civilian Fateh Khan s/o Mukaram Khan: The convict was an active member of proscribed organisation. He was found involved in the murder of a civilian, attacking polio workers, individuals of law enforcement agencies and armed forces personnel which resulted in the death of a child, eleven Khasadars, two army officers, twenty two soldiers and injuries to one civilian, nine Khasadars and twenty five soldiers. He admitted his offences before the magistrate and the trial court. He was tried on eight charges and awarded the death sentence.

Civilian Qari Ameen Shah alias Ameen s/o Minar Shah: The convict was an active member of TTP. He was found involved in an attack on a Girls Primary School in Khyber Agency, providing funds for terrorists activities, exploding an improvised explosive device (IED) and possessing explosives. He admitted his offences before the magistrate and the trial court. He was tried on four charges and awarded imprisonment for life.

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