Pak SC stays military court executions

Pakistan's Supreme Court yesterday stayed executions handed down by the country's controversial new military courts, set up in the wake of a Taliban massacre at a school.

The army announced the first verdicts and sentences from the new courts earlier this month. Six militants were condemned to death and another jailed for life, all on terrorism charges, though scant details of the offences and trials were given.

A 17-judge panel headed by Chief Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk suspended the executions yesterday, after the Supreme Court Bar Association challenged the constitutional amendment that created the military courts.

Prominent rights lawyer Asma Jehangir said ongoing trials being heard by the new tribunals would continue.