RAWALPINDI: After hearing 274 cases and awarding 161 death sentences in a two-year-long term, special military courts set up to try terrorism suspects in Pakistan have ceased to function, the ISPR announced on Sunday.
In a press release from its media wing, the army said the swift disposal of cases through the military courts had yielded “positive effects towards reduction in terrorist’s activities” in an environment of heightened terrorism.
A total of 12 convicted terrorists have been executed since January 2015, when the courts were established through a constitutional amendment allowing them to try civilians on terrorism charges.
The constitutional amendment came in response to an attack by Taliban terrorists on the Army Public School in Peshawar that killed 134 children. The amendment included an expiry clause to keep the measure temporary.
“During the period of its validity, 274 cases were referred to Military Courts. Of these 161 were awarded death penalty (12 executed) and 113 were awarded imprisonment of varying duration,” said the ISPR statement.
“[The] Military Courts were established through [a] constitutional amendment in the environment of heightened terrorism. Routine judicial system was under stress wherein judicial set-ups/judges were also subjected to act of terrorism. Therefore, special constitutional arrangements were made to effectively check the terrorists /terrorism.
“The cases were dealt through due process of law in Military Courts. The disposal through military courts has yielded positive effects towards reduction in terrorist activities. The military courts have ceased to function on expiry of mandated period,” it said.
All cases being tried in the military courts have now been handed over to the anti-terrorism courts.