ISLAMABAD, DEC 19 (DNA) – Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Qamar Jawed Bajwa is briefing the Senate Committee of the Whole House on the national security during an extraordinary in-camera session which is being presided over by Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani.

As the session began Tuesday, the military leadership told the lawmakers present that since their inception in 2015, military courts had managed to decide 274 cases and had awarded 161 death sentences, sources told.

According to sources, the military leadership further said that 56 convicts had been executed in that time ─ 13 before the launch of Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad and 46 since the launch of the operation.

The lawmakers were told that since Gen Bajwa was appointed army chief, the military courts had received 160 cases, sources said.

Rangers operation in Karachi

According to sources, Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza informed lawmakers that since the launch of the Rangers operation in Karachi in 2013, 8,780 suspects have been handed over to the police, 12,105 weapons have been seized and 1,948 terrorists have been apprehended.

The DGMO reportedly said that 154 abductees have been freed from captivity and 154 kidnappers have been apprehended in that time.

Further, sources said that the DGMO reportedly told legislators that since the launch of the operation, 24 soldiers have been martyred.

Strict security arrangements in place as military leadership arrives at Parliament House

The army chief, DGMO, Director General Inter-Services Intelligence Naveed Mukhtar and Director General Inter-Services Public Relations Maj General Asif Ghafoor arrived at the Parliament House amid strict security arrangements. Parliamentary members, too, had arrived for the in-camera briefing.