Dance of Death
Tushar Ranjan Mohanty
Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management

Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa confirmed the death sentences of 13 'hardcore terrorists' on December 16, 2016. These 13 were involved in heinous offences related to terrorism, including the slaughter of innocent civilians, officials of law enforcement agencies and the armed forces, an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release said. According to ISPR, the convicted terrorists were involved in the planning and execution of the Bacha Khan, Parade Lane mosque, Marriott Hotel and World Vision NGO attacks, as well as an attack on an educational institution at Nawagai, Buner. "On the whole, they were involved in killing 325 persons and in causing injuries to 366 others. Firearms and explosives were also recovered from their possession. These convicts were tried by military courts," the statement added.

On November 22, 2016, then CoAS General Raheel Sharif had confirmed death sentences awarded to another 10 terrorists. These terrorists were involved in a number of killings of civilians as well as the slaughtering of Captain Junaid Khan, Captain Najam Riaz Raja, Naik Shahid Rasool and Lance Naik Shakeel Ahmed of the Special Services Group (SSG). They planned and executed attacks on Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies, resulting in the death and wounding of several soldiers. They were also involved in destruction of educational institutions and communication infrastructure, according to ISPR.

On November 7, 2016, then CoAS General Raheel Sharif confirmed the death sentences awarded to another nine hardcore terrorists, who were involved the killing of innocent civilians, slaughtering of Levies officials and attacking Armed Forces personnel. These terrorist also include those who fired at a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane landing at Peshawar Airport, which resulted in the death of a woman and injuries to two other passengers. They were also involved in cutting off the hands of four Police personnels.

It has been two years since the Government lifted the moratorium on the death penalty following the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attack on the Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), on December 16, 2014, in which 148 persons, including 135 children, were killed. Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif had then addressed the nation and announced a 20-point National Action Plan (NAP), of which the execution of convicted terrorists was the first point. The seven-year moratorium on executions was then lifted on December 17, 2014. The resumption of executions was justified as a necessary measure to deal with terrorism. While lifting the moratorium, the Federal Minister of Defence Khwaja Asif stated, on December 19, 2014, that the carrying out of the death penalty against terrorists would begin soon.

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) data on the execution of terrorists showed that, from December 2014 to November 2016, just 29 out of 426 executions had been under the Anti Terrorism Act (ATC). The vast majority (93 per cent) of the 426 executions has been for crimes unrelated to terrorism.

In 2014, seven persons were hanged. All of them were executed on terrorism charges. Three of them were involved in an attack on former President General Parvez Musharraf. Further, Aqeel Ahmed aka Dr. Usman aka Kamran aka Nazir Ahmed and three other persons were accused of the General Headquarters (GHQ) Rawalpindi attack.  

333 people were hanged in 2015, of which 15 were executed on charges of terrorism, among those three were executed for the attempt on Musharraf’s life. Three were charged for highjacking a PIA plane, and four for the attack on APS Peshawar. The remaining 318 were hanged on murder charges unrelated to terrorism.

From January to November 2016, 86 persons have been executed, of which just seven were charged with terrorism.

More than 90 per cent of the executions occurred in jails in Punjab Province. According to Justice Project Pakistan (JPP) data, 46 persons were hanged in Faisalabad, 39 in Rawalpindi, 52 in Lahore, 10 in Karachi, 25 in Multan, 31 in Sahiwal, 33 in Bahawalpur, four in Mirpur, nine in Jhang, two in Peshawar, six in Jhelum, seven in Haripur, five in Sukkur, one in Larkana, 14 in Gujranwala, 13 in Sargodha, 19 in Attock, six in Toba Tek Singh, 17 in Mianwali, seven in Machh, 16 in Gujrat, nine in Vehari, 17 in Sialkot, two in Hyderabad, nine in Dera Ghazi Khan, six in Kasur, 11 in Kohat and one in Timergara.

According to JPP data, after China and Saudi Arabia, Pakistan has become the third ranking country in terms of executions. There is no exact data on executions in China but these believed to number in the thousands each year; 93 persons were executed in Saudi Arabia and 86 in Pakistan in 2016. The data further shows that, till 2013, Pakistan had the largest death row population in the world – 8,568 were awaiting execution. Out of these 8,568 persons, 800 were tried in terrorism related cases; of these 800 cases, 88 per cent have no link to anything reasonably defined as ‘terrorism’ according to JPP. However, terrorism linked cases have now risen to 30 per cent, and in Sindh Province, account for as much as 40 per cent of all death row inmates. Significantly, there are currently over 17,000 pending ‘terrorism’ cases in Pakistan.

Barrister Sarah Belal, Director, JPP, lamented, on December 18, 2015, "Lifting the moratorium is a knee-jerk reaction. Our research shows that the government is clueless on who is an actual terrorist on death row and who isn't. Keeping that in mind, we're going to see some gross violations of rights." According to the report, 80 per cent of those on death row have not committed acts of terror, but were wrongly convicted. Belal added,

Wrongful executions in Pakistan have come to light in several cases, including the case of two brothers, Ghulam Qadir and Ghulam Sarwar, of Bahawalpur who had spent 11 years on death row and were hanged on October 13, 2015, only to be acquitted by the Supreme Court on October 20, 2016.

Another disgrace was when, on September 26, 2016, the Supreme Court upheld the death penalty against a mentally ill man, Imdad Ali, convicted of murder, overturning a previous appeal and a court decision staying his execution. Imdad Ali, who is diagnosed with schizophrenia, has been on death row since he was convicted in 2001. According to the Reprieve Group, an anti-death penalty team, Ali’s execution would be a violation of both Pakistani and international laws.

While, the actual target of NAP, the terrorists, often roam free, the problem is compounded further by the fact that several terrorist organizations in Pakistan continue to enjoy state support, creating systemic biases against a non-discriminatory policy of executing terrorists on death row. In a recent assertion, the Federal Minister for Interior Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan defended the terrorist Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) on the floor of the Senate (Upper House of Parliament), arguing that it was involved in ‘charitable works’. On July 7, 2015, he argued, “Presently, JuD is engaged in charity and social work, operating hospitals, clinics, schools, ambulance service and religious institutions.” He went on to add that that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had listed JuD as a resurrection of LeT, but no ‘supporting evidence’ was shared with Pakistan to establish such a connection. The JuD, a front of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), is led by Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, the mastermind of the November 26, 2008 (26/11) Mumbai (India) terror attacks. The US has declared a reward of USD 10 million against him.

Though the Government and the all-powerful military in Pakistan remain in denial, the Supreme Court, on July 2, 2015, asked the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) why no action was being taken against terrorist organisations. Justice Jawad S. Khawaja remarked, 

The press release issued by JPP on December 18, 2016, stated that there was a need to “revamp and reform Pakistan’s criminal justice system”. However no significant efforts had been made in this direction, so far.

On the other hand the Pakistan Government has a totally different perspective on the death penalty. They claim that the policy of execution has proven effective as a deterrent against terrorism.

INDIA

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Koraput: Lingering Threat
Deepak Kumar Nayak
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management

On December 22, 2016, Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres shot dead one person, identified as G. Appa Rao, at Munuguluwalsa village under the Pottangi Police limits in the Koraput District of Odisha. Appa Rao was the husband of the Naib Sarpanch (deputy head of the Panchayat, the village level local-self government institution) of Talagoluru. The Maoists also set ablaze two tractors and one van belonging to Apparao before leaving the spot.

Earlier, on December 15, 2016, former top Maoist leader T. Anil Kumar aka Chandu, who was the head of the 'intelligence wing' of the 'Koraput – Srikakulam Special Zonal Committee (KSSZC)' and was allegedly involved in more than 100 cases, including killing alleged ‘police informers’, was found dead at Uparakanti Hill under the Semiliguda Block of Koraput District. Chandu belonged to Chirala town and was arrested in Talapaniki village under the Narayanpatna Block of Koraput District in February, 2014. He was later granted conditional bail and eventually ‘rehabilitated’ in Koraput, attracting the Maoists’ ire.

On November 18, 2016, Maoists killed a contractor-supervisor, identified as Jayaram Khila, slitting his throat at Bhitarakota village under Patangi Police limits in Koraput District.

According to partial data collated by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) database, at least 11 persons, including eight civilians, two Security Force (SF) personnel and one Maoist, have been reported killed in Left Wing Extremism (LWE)/Maoist-linked incidents in Koraput District during the current year (data till December 25, 2016). During the corresponding period of 2015, Koraput had recorded just one such fatality, a SF trooper. There were no fatalities thereafter in 2015.

Since the beginning of 2016, the Maoists have killed at least eight civilians in Koraput District, which is the highest in comparison to other LWE/Maoist-affected Districts of the State. Kandhamal followed, with six civilian fatalities; Malkangiri with five; Kalahandi, three; and one each in Nuapada and Rayagada. The increase in civilian fatalities in Koraput, gives clear cause for concern. Nevertheless, the trend suggests that the Maoists are exercising extreme caution to avoid a confrontation with SFs, while the quiet elimination of civilian opposition continues.

Koraput District appears to experience a recurring cycle in annual fatalities. While, the highest number, 43, was recorded in 2010, not a single fatality was registered in 2006 and 2007. The District had just one fatality (a lone SF trooper) in 2015, the current year has seen a surge in violence, with 11 dead, including eight civilians, two SF personnel and one Maoist, thus far.

With a total area of about 8,807 square kilometres, Koraput is covered by forests, waterfalls, springs and terraced valleys. It also contains the largest mountains of Odisha, Deomali and Chandragiri. The forest cover in the District is 1879.53 square kilometres, i.e., about 21.33 per cent of the total area. The District is situated to the south of the State. On its extreme north, Koraput is bounded by Kalahandi; to the Northwest by Nabarangpur; to the Northeast by Rayagada District; and on the south by the Malkangiri District, all of Odisha. On the west of Koraput lies the Bastar District of Chhattisgarh; and on its east and southeast, the Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Vishakhapatnam Districts of Andhra Pradesh. Its geographical proximity with Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, two crucial Maoist-affected States, have made Koraput a major transit route for the rebels to cross over from one State to the other. Significantly, Koraput forms part of the Dandakaranya region, the nerve centre of the Maoist rebellion.

Koraput is full of paradoxes. On the one hand it presents a picture of scenic beauty with rolling mountains, tumbling rivers, beautiful valleys and a pleasant climate; and on the other hand, there is the abject poverty of its tribal population, which has hardly been touched by modernity. Koraput’s majority tribal and scheduled caste population, as well as widespread under-development, poverty, malnutrition and illiteracy, makes it one of the most backward Districts of India. Predictably, Koraput was ranked towards the bottom; 541^st, among the 599 Districts across India, surveyed by the US-India Policy Institute (USIPI) and the Centre for Research and Debates in Development Policy (CRDDP), New Delhi. The report of the survey, which took composite development — measured in terms of economic development and the indices of health, education and material well-being – into consideration, was released on January 29, 2015. 

Apart from killing civilians, the Maoists have also orchestrated violence to impede developmental works in the District. On November 18, 2016, for instance, around 50 Maoists set fire to two Hiwa trucks, a Hitachi machine, a tractor and a tipper at a road construction site. The Maoists oppose the construction of the road to Bhitarakota village and also held a meeting in the presence of around 200 villagers in which the latter are also reported to have opposed the road work. The Maoists also abducted ten workers at the site before fleeing the spot. However, they released the workers after taking away their mobile phones, data machines and documents from them.

Further, on October 1, 2016, Gajarla Ravi aka Uday, ‘secretary’ of the Maoists’ Malkangiri-Koraput-Vishaka Border Division Committee (MKVDC), had addressed a meeting at Jantri village in the Kalimela tehsil (revenue unit) of Malkangiri District, where he reportedly appealed to the villagers to boycott the forthcoming Odisha panchayat elections in 2017, and urged them to protest against bauxite mining in Koraput District. The meeting was attended by around 1,000 to 1,500 villagers from Jodamba, Janbai, Paparmetla and Panasput of the Malkangiri District and Bodapada of Koraput District, both in Odisha; and Rollagedda of the East Godavari District in Andhra Pradesh.

Significantly, on February 17, 2016, the then Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Director General (DG), Prakash Mishra had claimed that the Maoist menace was returning to Odisha and Telangana, after receding for some time, with the overall situation in LWE-affected States remaining "fluid". Mishra noted that, while LWE activity in Odisha had by-and-large cleared up, it was "coming back" to the Narayanpatna area of Koraput District.

In the meantime, SF personnel have carried out at least seven combing operations in the District. In one recent operation Special Operations Group (SOG) and District Voluntary Force (DVF) personnel destroyed a CPI-Maoist camp in the forested area between Dumuriguda-Panasput-Kandra in Hatibari panchayat under the Padwa Police limits of Nandapur Block in Koraput District, on September 18, 2016, and seized two walkie-talkie sets, huge quantities of explosives and detonators, medicines and Maoist literature. The rebels belonged to the Koraput Division of the Maoists’ Andhra-Odisha Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC). Further, according to media reports, combing operations by SFs were intensified in the bordering villages of Machkund, Ankedeli, Nandapur, Narayanpatna and Laxmipur in Koraput District and several check posts were erected to curb the infiltration of Maoists from the neighbouring Malkangiri District and Andhra Pradesh.

To boost combing operations, the Central Forces are largely deployed in Koraput District, as well as in Rayagada, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Nuapada and Kandhamal. Currently, the Centre has deployed a total of 17 battalions of Central Armed Police Forces in the State – eight battalions each of the CRPF and Border Security Force (BSF) and one battalion of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), a specialized unit of the CRPF.

On September 18, 2016, State Director General of Police (DGP) K.B. Singh reiterated that LWEs were trying to regroup in Odisha: "We still face a challenge from ultras even though situation has improved a lot. Recent seizure of explosives from their hideouts in different Districts indicates the Red rebels are trying to spread their activities again." Clearly the Maoist threat in the State persists, and is reflected disproportionately in Koraput, since it serves as a major Maoist transit route, within a wider region where there is a significant concentration of the rebels’ residual capacities.

Civilians

Security Force Personnel

Terrorists/Insurgents

Total

BANGLADESH

Islamist Terrorism

INDIA

Jammu and Kashmir

Left-Wing Extremism

Chhattisgarh

Jharkhand

Odisha

Total (INDIA)

PAKISTAN

Balochistan

Sindh

Total (PAKISTAN)