Islamabad: The Pakistani army chief has confirmed death sentences of five hardcore terrorists involved in acts of terrorism and sectarian killings, the military said on Wednesday. The death penalty had been handed down by the military courts and has now been confirmed under the law. This is the second time that army chief Gen Raheel Sharif has confirmed the death sentence of the terrorists, Dawn reported.

Last month seven other militants, including those involved in attacks on the army-run school in Peshawar last December were also awarded death sentence. An army statement said those whose death sentence was confirmed were involved in sectarian killings in southwestern city of Quetta, killings of police officials in Karachi, breaking out of a prison in Bannu district in the northwest, attack on a girls school and attack on a polio team in Khyber tribal region and killing of a lawyer.
Out of six terrorists, five were awarded death sentence and one was awarded life imprisonment by the military courts. They belonged to the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and other proscribed organisations. The statement from the army's Inter-Services Public Relations said the convicts have confessed their crimes before the courts. The army said the convicts have the right to appeal against the sentence.

(IANS)