Pakistan halts military trials begun after school attack

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan says military courts set up two years ago after a Taliban attack on a school have ceased functioning because of the expiration of their constitutional mandate.

The courts were set up to try suspected Islamic militants after a Taliban rampage at an army-run school killed 154 people, mostly children.

The army said Sunday that a total of 274 cases were referred to the courts, which sentenced 161 people to death, 12 of whom were executed. The army says another 113 people were given jail terms of various durations.

Local and international rights groups criticized the closed-door trials, saying suspects were denied due process.