DATE=12/17/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-243169 TITLE=PAKISTAN / MILITARY (L-ONLY) BYLINE=AYAZ GUL DATELINE=ISLAMABAD CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: NEWLY ESTABLISHED MILITARY COURTS IN PAKISTAN HAVE SENTENCED (THURSDAY) TWO MEN TO DEATH AFTER CONVICTING THEM OF MURDER AND RAPE. AYAZ GUL HAS DETAILS FROM ISLAMABAD. TEXT: THE JUDGMENTS ARE THE FIRST BY THE MILITARY COURTS THAT PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF SET UP IN SINDH PROVINCE AFTER HE DISMISSED THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN LATE OCTOBER. HE SET UP THE COURTS IN AN ATTEMPT TO QUELL VIOLENCE IN THE PROVINCE. THE VERDICTS, HANDED DOWN BY TWO DIFFERENT MILITARY COURTS IN KARACHI, THE PROVINCIAL CAPITAL OF SINDH PROVINCE, CAME AFTER LITTLE OVER A WEEK'S TRIAL IN A MURDER AND A RAPE CASE. COURT OFFICIALS SAY ONE OF THE MEN WAS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPING A TEENAGE GIRL LAST YEAR. HE IS SAID TO BE AN ACTIVIST OF THE MUTTAHIDA QAUMI MOVEMENT (M-Q-M), AN ETHNIC POLITICAL PARTY WHICH DOMINATES POLITICS IN KARACHI. PRIME MINISTER SHARIF'S GOVERNMENT HOLDS THE M-Q-M, A FORMER ALLY OF MR. SHARIF'S RULING PARTY (PAKISTAN MUSLIM LEAGUE) RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED AND ETHNIC VIOLENCE THAT HAS KILLED NEARLY 800 PEOPLE IN KARACHI THIS YEAR. THE M-Q-M DENIES THE CHARGE. THE OFFICIALS SAY THE OTHER MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH WAS FOUND GUILTY OF KILLING A POLICEMAN IN MAY OF THIS YEAR. THREE OF HIS ACCOMPLICES RECEIVED JAIL TERMS. THE CONVICTS CAN APPEAL AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY ONLY BEFORE A MILITARY COURT, WHICH IS BOUND TO GIVE ITS FINAL VERDICT IN THREE DAYS. PAKISTAN'S OPPOSITION PARTIES AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS HAVE OPPOSED MR. SHARIF'S MOVE TO SET UP MILITARY COURTS IN VIOLENCE-TORN KARACHI, THE COUNTRY'S COMMERCIAL CAPITAL. (SIGNED) NEB/AG/KL 17-Dec-98 12:24 PM EST (1724 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .