SHC issues arrest warrants against three

Increases jail term from five to 10 years on ANF recommendation

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has issued arrest warrants for three suspects and increased the sentence of accused Abdul Sattar from five to 10 years on the Anti-Narcotics Force's request.

The court was hearing the suspect's appeal against his conviction in a drug smuggling case.

A two-member bench, headed by Justice KK Agha, ruled on the appeal against the conviction of the accused in a drug trafficking case and the ANF's request for an increase of sentence.

The court increased the sentence of accused Abdul Sattar from five years to 10 years of hard labor. The amount of fine has also been increased from Rs100,000 to Rs190,000.

The court issued arrest warrants for the other three suspects Ata-ur-Rehman, Habib-ur-Rehman and Mazhar Hussain. The court ruled that the accused should be arrested and brought to justice.

The court granted Abdul Sattar's request to restore his accounts. The SHC ordered that the application for restoration of accounts be sent back to the trial court.

The bench said that the lower court should decide on the request for restoration of the accounts of the accused within 30 days.

Read More: Pakistan Navy, ANF recover 700kg of drugs from Pishukan in joint-operation

According to ANF Prosecutor Habib Ahmed, 20kg of heroin was recovered from the possession of the suspects at Jinnah International Airport.

The suspects were sentenced by a lower court in August 2011 to five years in prison.

The suspects were transporting drugs to the ship via cargo with the help of PIA and airport security. The accused were caught red-handed.

The ANF had applied for an increase in the sentences of the accused.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 9^th, 2022.