Pakistan top court upholds death penalties of 16 'hardcore suicidals'

Pakistan's top court on Monday upheld the military courts' verdicts of awarding death sentences to 16 "hardcore terrorists," courts officials said.

The five-member larger bench, headed by Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Anwar Zaheer Jamali, had reserved the judgment on June 20.

The military courts were established to quickly depose terrorism-related cases after the Taliban attack on an army-run school in 2014. Most of the convicts belong to the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and "Lashkar-e-Jhangvi."

Relatives had challenged death penalties to 16 convicts.

The convicts were involved in the attacks on the army-run school and on a mosque in military area of Rawalpindi, and other terrorist acts.

The 182-page judgment says the parliament had accorded approval to the military courts because of the situation.

The verdict said no indications were found to prove that the judges of military courts had any personal grudge with accused.

The convicts now have the right of appeal to the president.

Source : XINHUA