For Life: ATC hands out life terms to kidnappers

The three men accused were involved in an abduction for a ransom case.

FAISALABAD:

Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) Judge Ishtiaq Ahmad sentenced three men to life terms in prison on Thursday afternoon. According to the prosecution, the life term sentences were meted on two counts and a fine of Rs200,000 each was leveled on the three accused involved in an abduction for a ransom case.

According to prosecution, Jaranwala resident Sarfraz and his wife Yasmeen, brother Shah Nawaz and accomplice Sahir kidnapped a 2-year-old boy, Shah Zaib, from Nawaz Colony Jaranwala on March 26, 2011 and demanded Rs5 million as ransom. The ATC awarded life imprisonment with a Rs100,000 fine under Section 365-A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and life imprisonment with Rs100,000 fine under 7-E, of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) to Sarfraz, Shah Nawaz and Yasmeen each. The accused were also ordered to surrender their property. However the court acquitted another accused in the case by giving him benefit of doubt. The convicts will undergo an additional 2 year sentence if they fail to pay the fine.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 19^th, 2011.