Pakistan province refers 423 cases for trial by military courts

The government of Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province Friday referred a list of terror suspects to the federal government for trial by newly formed militart courts.

The 45-page report contains 423 cases of terror suspects for trial by military courts, which also includes the name of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Mullah Fazlullah, Dawn reported.

At 116, Peshawar has the highest number of cases to be tried by military courts, whereas the remaining 307 cases are from other areas of the province.

Most of the terror suspects were charged with attacks on security forces, government buildings, state installations and killing of civilians.

Tehreek Nifaz-i-Shariah Mohammadi (TNSM) chief Sufi Mohammad and Maulvi Faqeer are among other high-profile suspects on the list.

A few of the terror suspects are awaiting trial in jail, while many of them have escaped into Afghanistan.

On Jan 6, Pakistan's National Assembly approved the 21st Constitutional Amendment to pave the way for the establishment of military courts whose foremost aim is to deal strictly with terrorists.