Pak army chief awards death sentence to 5 terrorists

May 12, 2016 20:04

Five "hardcore" Pakistani militants have been handed down the death penalty by military courts for committing heinous terror offences and the army chief on Thursday confirmed their sentences, a week after 11 Taliban

militants were given the capital punishment.

The army said in a statement that the five were tried and found guilty by the military courts which were set up soon after Peshawar school attack of December 16, 2014 for speedy trial of terrorists.

"Chief of Army Staff (General Raheel Sharif) confirmed death sentences awarded to five hardcore terrorists," the army said.

It further said that they were involved in Safoora Chowrangi bus attack, IED blast near Saleh Masjid, killing of a social worker, Sabeen Mahmud, and attacks on law enforcing agencies.

All these terrorist attacks took place in Karachi. At least 45 minority Ismaili Muslims were killed in the Safoora Chowrangi attack in Karachi.

45 people, including 26 men and 17 women, were killed and 20 others were wounded while they were travelling in a passenger bus, run by a welfare service of the Ismaili community.

The convicts include Tahir Hussain Minhas, Saad Aziz, Asad ur Rehman, Hafiz Nasir and Muhammad Azhar Ishrat.

After endorsement of their deaths by the army chief, the last legal hurdle in the way of hanging has been crossed.

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