RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif on Tuesday confirmed death sentences awarded by military courts of another 13 “hardcore terrorists”, said the military’s media wing in statement to the press.
The convicts were involved in “committing heinous offences relating to terrorism, including killing of foreign tourists at Nanga Parbat, attack on Saidu Sharif Airport, destruction of schools, attacks on armed forces, law enforcement agencies and civilians,” read the statement. Political parties had unanimously agreed over the issue of setting up military courts to tackle terrorism cases in the country following the gruesome attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar in December 2014, following which parliament passed the 21st Constitutional Amendment in January 2015 to set up the said courts.
President Mamnoon Hussain had also promulgated an ordinance further revising the recently amended Army Act to ostensibly aid the functioning of military courts by allowing for trials in camera, i.e without the presence of the public or the media, and over video link if necessary. The Supreme Court in a majority ruling upheld the establishment of military courts. Petitions challenging the 21st Amendment were dismissed in August last year in a majority 11-6 vote of the 17-member SC bench.
In a 14-3 majority vote, petitions challenging the 18th Amendment were also dismissed by the bench. In During the Corps Commanders Conference at General Headquarters on Monday, General Raheel Sharif had said that as the military moves towards conclusion of large-scale kinetic operations in FATA, there is a need to look ahead and consolidate gains for long term. According to a Tweet of ISPR Director General Lt Gen Asim Bajwa, General Raheel stressed increasing the pace of intelligence-based operations (IBOs) across the country to eliminate the entire infrastructure of terrorism. He directed more effective border management and continued proactive dominance of the cleared areas to maintain the writ of state in FATA. The temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) return must complete as per laid down time-line, he added.
According to an ISPR news release, the commanders’ conference dwelt at length on internal and external security situation and other professional matters. The participants also took holistic view of the emerging geo-strategic environment and its relevance to the security of Pakistan. While speaking at the forum, the COAS expressed his complete satisfaction over the progress of ongoing operation in Shawal and adjoining areas in North Waziristan Agency. He paid rich tributes to the sacrifices and valour of the officers and men of security agencies in operation Zarb-e-Azb.
