ATC ruling: TTP activist handed death sentence

Accomplice gets life imprisonment; both were accused of attacking Ahmadi worship place in 2010

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday handed down the death sentence to a Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) activist and life imprisonment to his accomplice for attacking a worship place of the Ahmadiyya community, Bait al Noor, in the Model Town neighbourhood of Lahore in 2010.

Muaz, alias Muaviya, was sentenced to death on seven counts while his aide Abdullah was sentence to a life in prison on nine counts. The court also imposed a fine of Rs3 million each on the two convicts.

Abdullah was not given the death sentence on account of being a juvenile. His lawyer had submitted an application in which he had pleaded for his acquittal. Accused Muaz, alias Muaviya, started chanting slogans when he was given the death sentence.

Earlier, the two convicts claimed in the court that the agencies and police officials had already arrested them and implicated them in this forged case although they had nothing to do with the armed attack.

According to details, on May 28, 2010 at least three terrorists, affiliated with the TTP, barged into the Bait al Noor in Model Town. They opened fire on those inside before exploding hand grenades, killing 27 people and injuring 32 others. In the subsequent operation, the police killed one of the attackers and arrested two others.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2015.