Pakistan Army chief endorses death sentences to 14 'hardcore terrorists' after conviction by military courts

Islamabad: Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Friday endorsed the death sentences of 14 “hardcore terrorists” who were convicted by special military courts. The military courts were set up soon after the Peshawar attack of December 2014 that killed nearly 150 schoolchildren for speedy trial of militants in Pakistan. [caption id=“attachment_5454951” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Pakistan army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa. AP[/caption] The Army said Bajwa “confirmed death sentences awarded to 14 hardcore terrorists, who were involved in heinous offences related to terrorism”. They were found guilty of attacking armed forces, law enforcing agencies, killing of innocent civilians and destruction of educational institutions. “On the whole, they were involved in killing of 22 persons including 3 civilians, 19 armed forces/frontier constabulary/ police officials and injuring 23 others,” the army said, adding arms and explosives were also recovered from their possession. These convicts were tried by special military courts but the dates and venues of the trial was not shared by the army due to security reasons. Another eight persons were imprisoned for their involvement in militancy in the country.