Pakistan Army Chief approves execution of 12 terrorists

Pakistan Army Chief Raheel Sharif on Thur-sday confirmed death sentences given to 12 hardcore terrorists.

The convicts were invo-lved in committing hei-nous offences relating to terrorism, including breaking of a jail in the north-western district of Bannu, attacks on armed forces, law enforcement agencies and civilians, said a military statement.

Terrorists including Mohammed Arbi, Rafiu-llah, Qari Asif Mehmood, Shawaleh, Mohammed Zeeshan, Nasir Khan, Shoukat Ali, Imdadullah, Mohammed Umar, Sabir Shah, Khandan and Anwar Ali were tried by military courts.

The statement said that many of these terrorists were active members of the banned militant outfit Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. They were involved in abetting attack on Bannu Jail, owing to which large number of terrorists managed to escape from the jail and also caused injuries to police constables and soldiers. The banned outfits’ operatives were tried by military courts which were established unanimously by the Parliament after attack on Army Public School in Peshawar.

Earlier on January 1, Gen. Sharif had signed death warrants of nine terrorists involved in attacks on ISI headquarters in Multan, Parade Lane and offices of the law enforcers.

Terrorists Rafiullah and Qari Asif Mehmood were active members of Sipah-e-Sahaba. They were involved in abetting the murder of Syed Waqar Haider and causing injury to Abdul Sattar Tahir in Lahore. Rafiullah was tried on 2 charges while Qari Asif was tried on 4 charges and awarded death sentence.

Shawaleh was an active member of TTP. He was involved in attacking Law Enforcement Agency which caused death and injuries to soldiers. He admitted his offences before the Magistrate and the trial court. He was tried on 3 charges and awarded death sentence. Mohammed Zeeshan was an active member of Al-Qaeda. He was involved in attacking Armed Forces which resulted in death and injuries to soldiers. He admitted his offence before the Magistrate and the trial court. He was tried and awarded death sentence. Another terrorist Shoukat Ali was an active member of the TTP. He was involved in attacking Law Enforcement Agency and Armed Forces which resulted in death and injuries to soldiers. He admitted his offences before the Magistrate and the trial court. He was tried on 5 charges and awarded death sentence. TTP members Imdad Ullah and Mohammed Umar were involved in destruction of an educational institutions and attacking Law Enforcement Agency which resulted in death and injuries to soldiers. Both admitted their offences before the Magistrate and the trial court. They was tried on 5 charges and awarded death sentences. Sabir Shah was an active member of TTP. He was involved in attacking Armed Forces which resulted in death of soldiers. He admitted his offences before the Magistrate and the trial court. He was tried on 3 charges and awarded death sentence. Khandan was an active member of TTP. He was involved in attacking Armed Forces which resulted in death and injuries to soldiers. He admitted his offences before the Magistrate and the trial court. He was tried on 3 charges and awarded death sentence. TTP militant Anwar Ali was involved in attacking Armed Forces which resulted in death and injuries to soldiers. He admitted his offences before the Magistrate and the trial court. He was tried on 3 charges and awarded death sentence. The banned outfits‘ operatives were tried by military courts which were established unanimously by the Parliament after attack on Army Public School (APS) Peshawar. Earlier on January 1, General Raheel Sharif had signed death warrants of nine terrorists involved in attacks on Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Headquarters in Multan, Parade Lane and offices of the law enforcers. On December 29, four militants were hanged in the garrison town of Kohat for assisting in suicide attacks and bombings. All four were sentenced by military court in April 2015. On December 2, terrorists involved in attack on the army-run school in Peshawar were hanged. The government on December 17, 2014 lifted a six-year moratorium on death penalty a day after Taliban gunmen attacked army-run school in Peshawar, killing more than 150 people, most of them students. Since then, the authorities have executed nearly 330 people in less than a year. The lifting of the moratorium was meant to be part of a crackdown on militants, but most of those executed have been convicted of criminal offenses. More than 8,000 convicts are yet to be hanged while hundreds of them have exhausted appeals process.