RAWALPINDI: A military court has awarded death sentences to six terrorists involved in the Army Public School attack and one involved in the Safoora Chowrangi gun attack. Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif on Thursday confirmed the death sentences. The terrorists were tried by a military court established under the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Act, 2015, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. In view of the nature and gravity of offences preferred against each, seven terrorists have been awarded death sentences, whereas one terrorist in the Safoora Chowrangi, Karachi, attack has been awarded life imprisonment by the military courts, the ISPR said. The APS incident resulted in the death of 151 persons, including 125 children, and injuries to 147 others. The Safoora Chowk, Karachi, attack by an improvised explosive device (IED) resulted in the death of three soldiers and injuries to four. The convicts were given a fair trial by following all the legal formalities and offering/providing them legal aid and defence counsels. “Today the sentences of death have been confirmed by the chief of army staff,” the ISPR said. The convicts have the right to file an appeal before the Military Court of Appeals. The details, according to the ISPR, of the convicts and their involvement in acts of terrorism proved against them are as under: APS attack: Civilian Hazrat Ali s/o Awal Baz: The convict was an active member of the Toheedwal Jihad Group (TWJ). He was found involved in attacking the law enforcement agencies, abetment in kidnapping/killing of Levies soldiers and collecting funds for the attack on the Army Public School Peshawar. He was also involved in the killing of 23 Levies soldiers. He admitted his offences before the magistrate and the trial court. He was tried on five charges and awarded death sentence. Civilian Mujeebur Rehman alias Ali alias Najeebullah s/o Ghulab Jan: The convict was an active member of Toheedwal Jihad Group (TWJ). He was found involved in transporting 10 suicide bombers for the attack on the Pakistan Air Force Base Peshawar/law enforcement agencies and abetment in attack on the Army Public School Peshawar, which resulted in the death of 151 persons including 125 children, injuries to 147 persons and damage to government property. He admitted his offences before the magistrate and the trial court. He was tried on three charges and awarded the death sentence. Civilian Sabeel alias Yahya s/o Attaullah: The convict was an active member of Toheedwal Jihad Group. He was found involved in the attack on the Pakistan Air Force Base Peshawar/police check post, transportation of 10 suicide bombers and abetment in the attack on the Army Public School Peshawar. He admitted his offences before the magistrate and the trial court. He was tried on three charges and awarded death sentence. Civilian Maulvi Abdus Salam s/o Shamshi: The convict was an active member of the Toheedwal Jihad Group. He was found involved in harbouring suicide bombers, later used in the attack on the Army Public School Peshawar. He was also involved in abetting the deaths of two colonels and a civilian director of the National Development Complex (NDC). He confessed his offences before the magistrate and the trial court. He was tried on four charges and awarded death sentence. Civilian Taj Muhammad alias Rizwan s/o Altaf Khan: The convict was an active member of the TTP. He was found involved in attacking the armed forces and harbouring suicide bombers, which were later used in attack on the Army Public School Peshawar and abetting the death of a civilian director of NDC. He admitted his offences before the magistrate and the trial court. He was tried on five charges and awarded the death sentence. Civilian Ateequr Rehman alias Usman s/o Ali Rehman: The convict was an active member of the Toheedwal Jihad Group. He was found involved in attacking the Crime Investigation Department’s police station, providing funds for illegal activities, abetting deaths of two colonels and a civilian director of NDC and abetted attack on the Army Public School Peshawar. He admitted his offences before the magistrate and the trial court. He was tried on six charges and awarded death sentence. Civilian Kifayatullah alias Kaif Qari s/o Ghulam Haider: The convict was an active member of the Toheedwal Jihad Group. He was found involved in using improvised explosive devices at the residence of three civilians and transporting arms and ammunition. He had also been in league with the accused persons involved in the attack on the Army Public School Peshawar. He admitted his offences before the magistrate and the trial court. He was tried on four charges and awarded imprisonment for life. Safoora Chowrangi Attack, Karachi: Civilian Muhammad Farhan alias Ali alias Abbas alias Aijaz Qadri: The convict was an active member of the Jaish-e-Muhammad. He was found involved in an attack on the soldiers of the Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, at Safoora Chowk, Karachi by an IED which resulted in the death of three soldiers and injuries to four. He admitted his offences before the magistrate and the trial court. He was tried on two charges and awarded the death sentence.
