PHC sets aside trial court verdict in smuggling case

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court has set aside a life imprisonment sentence and fine in a case involving the smuggling of 958 kilogrammes of hashish. It ordered the trial court to rehear the case.

A division bench, comprising Justices Yahya Afridi and Waqar Ahmad Seth, heard the case on Friday. The bench ordered the release of the applicants on bail.

When the hearing commenced, the applicants’ counsels – barristers Noman Qaiser and Waqas Chamkani – said their clients, Irfan and Muntazir, were charged with smuggling narcotics.

The attorneys said customs officials arrested the two after they claimed to have seized 958 kilogrammes of hashish from a truck. Irfan and Muntazir were awarded a life sentence by a trial court. They were also asked to pay a fine.

The lawyers argued legal and technical factors were not taken into consideration during proceedings at the trial court.

“If the customs officials seized 958 kilogrammes, why were only 10 grammes sent to the laboratory?” Qaiser asked. “As per the law, officials should have sent a 10-gramme sample from every packet.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 23^rd, 2016.