PM requests president to reject mercy petitions of four APS attackers

The four terrorists were sentenced to death by military courts

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif advised President Mamnoon Hussain on Thursday to reject mercy petitions of four convicted terrorists in Peshawar’s Army Public School (APS) attack case.

All four suspects were sentenced to death by military courts on the charges of launching a terrorist attack on the army-run school in December 2014.

Army chief confirms death sentences for 6 terrorists involved in Peshawar school attack

“The brutal and merciless killings of our children convinced us that the perpetrators of such crimes do not deserve any mercy,” a statement issued by the prime minister's office quoted him as saying.

The interior ministry sent the said request to the president earlier this week through PM Nawaz, who advised Mamnoon to reject the mercy petitions of terrorists involved in APS attack.

“Pakistan has changed after the Peshawar tragedy,” PM Nawaz said while performing his constitutional obligation under article 105 of the Constitution.

Immediately, after the Army Public School tragedy, the state, the elected representatives in the Parliament, all political parties and every single state institution unanimously decided to bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice even if required amendments in the laws.



“The establishment of military courts through these amendments has enabled us to bring the perpetrators of most heinous crimes to justice in a short span of time,” PM Nawaz said. “The death sentence awarded to the four terrorists, in fact, was the will of the entire nation.”

In August, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif confirmed sentences of as many as seven terrorists involved in attacks on APS Peshawar and Safoora Chowrangi after a military court awarded all of them with death sentences. “The army chief has confirmed that eight terrorists were tried under the Pakistan Army Act 2015,” military’s media wing, ISPR, said.

The statement added that convicts were given a fair trial by following all legal formalities and offering/ providing them legal aid and defence counsels.

132 children killed in Peshawar school attack

On December 16, 2014, the Taliban launched a heinous attack on an Army Public School in Peshawar, killing over 150 people, mostly students.

Following the attack, the government lifted the moratorium on death penalties in the country and formed a National Action Plan, which went on to establish military courts to try terrorists.