Pakistan army chief signs death warrants of six convicts

Source:Xinhua Published: 2014-12-19 14:23:32

Pakistan Army Chief and General Raheel Sharif on Thursday signed death warrants of six militants who had been convicted in attacks on the army's headquarters, local media reported Friday.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday announced the lifting of the 2008 moratorium on executions in Pakistan.

The decision came in the wake of the Taliban attack on an army school which killed 132 school children and nine staff members.

Official sources said executions will be resumed for individuals convicted on Anti-Terrorism charges and "heinous crimes".

Army spokesman Maj Gen Asim Bajwa said the army chief on Thursday"signed death warrants of six hardcore terrorists." He said army courts had convicted the men"in accordance with law" and their executions had been pending.

The army spokesman did not identify the convicts. However, the local media said they had been involved in the attack on the army' s General Headquarters in October 2009.

A group of 10 Taliban militants launched the attack which left 10 soldiers and two civilians dead. The group was led by Aqeel alias Dr Usman, a leader of the Punjab branch of the Tehrik-e- Taliban Pakistan. Aqil was injured and arrested after a 24-hour standoff at the army's headquarters in the city of Rawalpindi. Other attackers had been killed.

The security forces later arrested several more militants in connection with the attack who were tried in a military court and awarded death penalty in August 2011. Aqil was also suspected to be behind the attack on Sri Lankan team in Lahore in 2009.

As Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif approved the implementation of the executions in terrorism-related cases, the federal government has reportedly asked all provincial governments to collect details of all convicts on death row.

Officials said that security had also been tightened for jails across Pakistan in view of the possible hanging of the convicted militants.


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