ISLAMABAD: Military courts have awarded death penalties to 15 hardcore terrorists and jail terms to six others found guilty of attacks on schools, law-enforcement personnel and civilians.

The death sentences were ratified by Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, ISPR announced on Thursday. The terrorists, who were sentenced to death, ISPR said, were “involved in heinous offences related to terrorism, i.e. attacking Armed Forces/ Law Enforcement Agencies of Pakis­tan, destruction of educational institutions and killing of innocent civilians”.

“On the whole, they were involved in killing of 45 persons including 4 civilians, 41 Armed Forces/Frontier Constabulary/ Police Officials and injuring 103 others. Arms and explosives were also recovered from their possession,” it added.

Those sentenced to death are Khiwal Muhammad s/o Babo Rahman; Saddam Ullah s/o Sher Nawab Khan; Izhar s/o Bakhat Buland; Jan Bacha s/o Bacha Rawan; Sharafat Ali s/o Muhammad Amin; Habibullah s/o Ghulam Ahad; Said Ullah s/o Awal Jan; Zar Muhammad s/o Sakhi Mar Jan; Alif Khan s/o Sardar Khan; Mujahid s/o Yar Wali; Tariq Ali s/o Bawar Shah; Israr Ahmed s/o Taj Muhammad; Kaleem Ullah s/o Hayat Ullah; Muham­mad Rehman s/o Sher Ramzan; Fayaz Ullah s/o Muhammad Nawaz Khan.

Most of the convicted terrorists belong to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2018