ISLAMABAD, June 24 (Xinhua) -- As many as 57 Pakistan Air Force(PAF) officials have been arrested on charges of having links with terrorists during the past two years, local TV channel reported Wednesday.

    According to private TV channel Geo News, actions against some of the PAF officials over links with terrorists began in former President Pervez Musharraf's regime.

    More arrests were undertaken after a PAF official named Mushtaq was apprehended. As many as 57 officials were arrested from the air bases in eastern Punjab province's capital Lahore, the southern port city of Karachi and other cities for having links with terrorists and militants or for having sympathies for banned groups, the Geo said.

    Of these arrested, 26 were court-martialed and awarded prison terms ranging from three-and-half years to 17 years while six were awarded capital punishment on involvement in serious crimes.

    An important PAF official who is wanted is still at large, while his photos have been affixed at all the air bases, said the report.

    It was reported that several PAF personnel were linked to a conspiracy to assassinate Musharraf who survived two attempts on his life in December 2003.