Pak Army chief ratifies death sentence of 13 'hardcore terrorists'

Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa confirmed death sentences awarded to 13 "hardcore terrorists" by the special military courts for their involvement in the killing of 202 people, including 51 security personnel, the army said Monday.

"Chief of Army Staff confirmed death sentences awarded to 13 hardcore terrorists," the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) - the media wing of the army - said in a statement.

The convicted terrorists were "involved in heinous offences related to terrorism, attacking armed forces/ Law Enforcement Agencies, destruction of educational institutions and killing of innocent civilians," it said.

"They were involved in killing of 202 persons including 151 civilians, 51 armed forces/frontier constabulary/police officials and injuring 249 others," it said.

These convicts were tried by the special military courts which also awarded imprisonment of varying terms to seven other militants.

The special military courts were set up in January 2015 after a Taliban attack on an army school in Peshawar in 2014 which killed more than 150 people, mostly students.