Pakistani court stays executions of 6 convicted militants

Pakistan’s top court has halted the executions of six suspects sentenced by military courts on charges ranging from terrorism, murder to suicide bombing and kidnapping for ransom, after allegations that the legal proceedings against them were unlawful.

Thursday’s decision by the Supreme Court of Pakistan followed a petition raised by an organization of lawyers that challenged a recently adopted constitutional amendment allowing military courts to try suspects wanted on terror charges.

The court adjourned the hearing until April 22 to give the government time to submit its reply.

The death sentences handed down to the six in early April marked the first such ruling since Pakistan lifted a moratorium on the death penalty last December following a Taliban attack on a school in Peshawar that killed 150 people, mostly children.

AP