Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has announced several tough anti-terror measures including establishment of special courts, headed by military officers, for speedy trial of the hard-core terrorists.

The special courts will be set up in two years and the constitution will be amended for this purpose, the prime minister said in a televised address late Wednesday after senior leaders from mainstream political parties agreed on the anti-terror steps.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had invited politicians at a conference to chalk out a joint strategy against terrorism following last week's terrorist attack on an army-run school that killed 150 people, nearly all children, in the northern city of Peshawar. Taliban had claimed responsibility for the attack.

"The culprits in the past would escape punishment due to certain weaknesses in the legal system. Political leaders have agreed to establish special courts for speedy trial of the hardened terrorists. Special courts will be headed by army officers," Sharif told the nation. The address was aired live by the state television.

The prime minister, announcing details of other decisions, said the government will not allow formation of armed militia in the country while financial sources of terrorists and terror organizations will be cut.

"Banned outfits will not be allowed to operate under different names and measures will be taken to stop religious extremism and to protect minorities," he said.

"There is a changed Pakistan after the Peshawar tragedy, in which there will be no place for terrorism, extremism, sectarianism and intolerance," Sharif said.

The 11-hour conference also decided that the print and electronic media will not be allowed to give any space to terrorists and there will be a crackdown on hate-speech, and action will be taken against newspapers, magazines contributing to the spread of such speech.

Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif also attended the conference and told the participants that tough decisions are needed to secure the future of the new generation.

According to another decision, social media and the internet will not be allowed to be used by terrorists to spread propaganda and hate speech, though the exact process for that will be finalized.

The conference decided that all religious schools will be registered and reforms introduced and elements spreading sectarian violence will be prosecuted.

A comprehensive policy will be formed for registration of Afghan refugees as officials say there are still nearly 1 million un-registered Afghans in Pakistan. Pakistan also hosts about 1 million registered Afghan refugees who have permission to stay until December 2015.

A 5,000-member special anti-terrorism force will also be raised to deal with terrorists. Army officers will impart training to the special force, Interior Minister Ch. Nisar Ali Khan said.

The government has already lifted a 2008 moratorium on executions and hanged several convicts in terrorism-related cases after the Dec. 16 attack on the army-run school. Endi

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