QUETTA, Jan 18: A Balochistan High Court bench has termed a judgment of the special judge of Suppression of Terrorist Activities (STA) Court, Usta Mohammed, against the relevant provisions of law and directed him to rewrite his verdict.
The bench, comprising Justice Mohammed Nadir Khan and Justice Ahmed Khan Lashari, issued the directive to the special judge the other day after hearing an appeal filed by a convict against the judgment.
The convict, Ghulam Ali alias Ashiq Ali, was arrested by Gandakha Police in June 2001, along with arms and ammunition.
The case was referred to the STA court for a trial.
The special judge after hearing the case awarded life term to Ashiq and fined him Rs10,000 under the Arms Ordinance. He was to serve additional six-month term in case of failure to pay the fine.
Besides, under the Surrender of Illicit Arms Act, the convict was awarded life imprisonment, fined Rs200,000 million. He was to undergo another four-year jail term in case of default in payment of the fine.
TREASON CASE: The provincial minister for information and local government, Maulana Hussain Ahmed Sharoodi, and other provincial leaders of the MMA appeared before the Anti-Terrorism Court-I in a treason case.
The court adjourned the hearing till Jan 24 on the plea of the counsel for the accused.
Some other MMA leaders also appeared before the court.
They had been charged with instigating people against the government at a public meeting held at the Ayub Stadium by Pakistan-Afghanistan Defence Council on Nov 30, 2001, to protest against the US attack on Afghanistan.—APP
