Seven "hardcore terrorists" killed, confirms Pak Army Chief

Islamabad, Feb 9: Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Friday confirmed death sentences for seven "hardcore terrorists", the military said.

They were awarded capital punishment by the special military courts set up for speedy trial of militants, following the Peshawar school attack of December 2014 that killed 150 people, mostly schoolchildren.

The army said in a statement that those convicted "were involved in heinous offences related to terrorism, including killing of innocent civilians, attacking law enforcement agencies and armed forces of Pakistan".

"On the whole, they (the seven convicted men) were involved in killing of 85 persons and injuring 109 others. Arms and explosives were also recovered from their possession," it said.

The convicts were tried by military courts but the place and duration of the trials was not revealed due to security reasons. The army said another five militants were handed down jail terms of varying durations.

PTI