Alleged militant’s 42-year jail sentence overturned

Bilal had been deemed involved in attacks on the military and involvement in other terrorist activity activities

PESHAWAR: The commissioner of Frontier Crimes Regulation on Monday overturned the 42-year jail sentence of Hazrat Bilal, an alleged militant who was accused of being involved in attacks on security forces.

Bilal was sentenced to 42-years in jail by Assistant Political Agent of Lower Mohmand on a total of 12 charges, mainly for attacks on military and involvement in militant activities. He was also accused of being trained at a militant camp in Afghanistan.

Hazrat Bilal, a resident of Shabqadar Tehsil, was also alleged to being affiliation with the banned outfit Jamat-ul-Ahrar, for which the Pakistan military had blacklisted him.



His appeal to the court shows that he was arrested on April 2, 2013, but for next five years, his family was unaware of his whereabouts. Bilal was handed over to the political administration of Mohmand Agency on January 23, 2018. The APA began his trial and thus on April 2, Bilal was sentenced for 42-years in prison.

His lawyer said that the sentence was a consecutive punishment, which means he would not be entitled to any remission in his sentence.

On April 6, he submitted an appeal before the commissioner FCR, which has decided the case within a short time. FCR Commissioner Syed Qazim Ali Shah, who is enjoying the power of the appellate court under Section 48 of the FCR, set aside an order of the APA.



The counsel for the accused, Muhammad Jamil Warsak, argued that an APA cannot grant a punishment of more than 14-years, and even if such a verdict is announced, the case has to be established well beyond a doubt.

“The APA had no solid proofs against Bilal, but had only taken signatures from members of a jirga on a white paper,” the lawyer added.

The lawyer argued that the six-member group with which he alleged to be affiliated with has already been released by a session court in Charsadda, thus, Bilal should be released as well.

The advocate asked the FCR officials to set aside the sentence granted by the APA. Commissioner FCR, after hearing the arguments, released Hazrat Bilal and overturned the 42-year jail sentence.