329 executions carried out under NAP

ISLAMABAD: Authoritative sources have revealed that 329 executions of convicted criminals and terrorists were carried out till January 2016 under the National Action Plan.

Following the unfortunate massacre of children and teachers at the Peshawar Army Public School in December 2014, a dire need was felt to take extraordinary measures under an unprecedented and unparalleled threat scenario and dangerous situation. Thus the National Action Plan was formulated through a national consensus by all the political parties and national security stakeholders. The NAP sought to establish special trial courts, choke finances for terrorists and terrorist organizations, ban on glorification of terrorism/ terrorist organisations through print and electronic media, across the board zero tolerance for militancy and execution of convicted terrorists. These were only some of the aims of the plan.

Under the plan, around 329 executions, including those convicted for terrorism, were carried out till January 15, 2016. In Sindh, 18 criminals were executed, in Punjab 298, in ICT/Gilgit-Baltistan two were hanged, in KPK/ Fata six were hanged and five were hanged in Balochistan. There were also 42 terrorists who were executed, including eight who were convicted for the massacre in Peshawar's Army Public School.

Also, till January 15, 2016, around 33 Apex Committee meetings were held. Six were held in Balochistan, 12 in Sindh, five in KPK, seven in Punjab and three in the Islamabad Capital Territory. 

During the same period, nine military courts were established; three in Punjab, two in Sindh, one in Balochistan, and three in KPK.  These courts were hearing 74 cases and by the period mentioned above, 46 cases were still under trial while the trial in 28 cases had been completed.