Inmates for 25: Kidnappers sentenced to life imprisonment

Ateeq was released when police raided house where he was held

PESHAWAR: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) sentenced seven men to life in prison, 25 years each, on Monday after they were convicted of kidnapping a five-year-old boy for ransom in 2014.

ATC judge Abdul Rauf Khan found the seven accused, namely Altaf, Asad, Shehzad Gul, Shahid, Musharaf, Alaf Khan and Atlas Khan, guilty of kidnapping a child. However, Afghan national Atlas Khan was sentenced an extra year in prison under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act.

The prosecution counsel told the court the accused were arrested on October 16, 2014 for kidnapping five-year-old Muhammad Ateeq in the jurisdiction of Banamarhi police station. The kidnappers demanded Rs800,000 from Ateeq’s family as ransom. However, Ateeq was not released even though his family had paid the amount.

The family then filed an FIR with the police. Upon investigation, the police found and raided the house where the kidnappers had held Ateeq. The kidnappers were arrested on the spot and Ateeq was released from their possession. The police recovered the ransom money.

The court was told the accused had confessed to kidnapping the child. “There is no contradiction in the statements of the prosecution witnesses either,” the prosecutor said. “Thus, the suspects deserve to be punished severely for their crime.” Upon hearing arguments from both sides, the court sentenced the kidnappers to life in prison.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22^nd, 2015.