In court: Religious party worker convicted of terrorism

He had fired upon policemen during an encounter at his hideout near Nigar Cinema

KARACHI: A worker of the Sunni Tehreek (ST) was awarded a collective 45-year term in prison after he was convicted of terrorism, attempt to murder, assault on policemen, damage to private and public property and possession of illicit weapons and explosives by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Wednesday.

According to the prosecution, Zulqarnain alias Suleman was arrested in April last year after an encounter with the Risala police. The police were told about the presence of two ‘extortionists’ near Nigar Cinema by an ‘informer’. Acting upon the tip-off, a police team reached there and was fired upon by the suspects. During the retaliatory fire, Zulqarnain was arrested while his accomplice, identified as Ibrahim, managed to flee.

The case against Zulqarnain was heard for one year and after scrutinising the evidences, the ATC-IX judge, Farman Ali Kanasro, found him guilty of the offence.

He was sentenced to 14 years in prison under section 5 of the Explosives Substances Act, 10 years each under section 324 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and under the Anti-Terrorism Act, seven years under section 23 (1) a of the Sindh Arms Act, and two years each under sections 353 and 427 of the PPC. The judge, in his order, observed that all the sentences will run concurrently.

Moreover, the convict was also ordered to pay a fine of Rs165,000. If he fails to pay the mentioned amount, he will be imprisoned for an additional one-and-a-half years. In his order, the judge observed that the case will be pending until Ibrahim’s arrest.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2015.