12 May 2004	Wednesday	21 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

KARACHI, May 11: Two workers of the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, prosecuted in the PSO blast case, were awarded multiple sentences including life term on two counts by an anti-terrorism court on Tuesday.

Judge Feroz Mehmood Bhatti of the ATC-II also ordered confiscation of the convicts' properties to the tune of Rs100,000. The LJ activists were prosecuted inside the Central Prison.

Abdul Wahab Afghani and Shahnawaz alias Shani were found guilty of being involved in the blast near the PSO House on Feb 3, 2003. A parking fee collector, Karimdad, was killed in the blast while Afzal Masih and head constable Aijaz Hussain were wounded.

The blast also damaged at least 12 motorcycles, parked in the area besides shattering the windowpanes of the Clifton Galleria Shopping Mall and PSO House. Special Public Prosecutor Maula Bukhsh Bhatti examined 17 prosecution witnesses in the case. The accused were represented by M.R. Syed.

The prosecution witnesses also included two eye-witnesses, Waqar Ahmed and Rahil Khan, who identified the two accused in the trial court. According to Waqar Ahmed, accused Abdul Wahab Afghani and an unidentified pillion rider parked a motorcycle in the parking lot and the blast occurred five minutes after they left the area.

Rahil Khan, a motorcycle mechanic, stated that accused Shahnawaz alias Shani came to his workshop in Korangi and purchased the bike through him. Mr Rahil said that the accused had introduced himself as Ismail.

The judge sentenced the two accused to suffer life in jail "for causing explosion and damage to the properties under Section-3 of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, and Sections 427 of the PPC and 7 (d) of the Anti-terrorism Act, 1997.

The judge also ordered confiscation of their properties worth Rs100,000 each for the offence. A fine of Rs50,000 was imposed on the convicts, who would have to undergo an additional six-month term in case of default on the payment.

Both the accused were also sentenced to life term for the murder of Karimdad and were fined Rs50,000 each. The defaulter on the payment would have to undergo an additional six-month term, the judgement stated.

For causing 'Shajjah-i-Khafifa' to injured Afzal Masih, both the accused were sentenced to one-year rigorous imprisonment. And for causing 'Jurh Ghayr Jaifah Damiyah' to injured Afzal Masih and Head Constable Aijaz Hussain, the Lashkar-i-Jhangvi activists were sentenced to another one-year term.

Both the accused were also directed to pay Rs100,000 each as compensation to the family of the deceased and Rs25,000 each to each wounded in the incident.

KIDNAPPING CASE: Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the ATC-III put off the hearing of a kidnapping for ransom case after recording the statements of the accused. The judge fixed May 15 for hearing the final arguments from the prosecution and defence attorneys.

The court recorded the statements of accused Zafar Iqbal, Shaukat Ali, Akbar Ali and Muneer Ahmed, who are being tried for kidnapping Aslam Lodhi and five others on Jan 1, 2004 for ransom.

According to the prosecution, Aslam Lodhi was running a workshop of meter covers of the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation in North Karachi. One of his employees, Zafar Iqbal, asked him and five other colleagues to have dinner at his house.

It was alleged that the accused gave them intoxicated food and made them hostage. Later, the kidnapper called Aslam Lodhi's son, Mohammed Saqib Lodhi, and demanded a heavy sum for the release of the hostages.

The accused allegedly agreed to accept Rs115,000 as ransom and asked the victim's son to bring the money near Bilal Chowrangi, Korangi, where accused Shaukat Ali was arrested red- handed receiving the money.

Later, Shaukat Ali led the police party to the house where Aslam Lodhi and his five workers - Asif Ali, Abdul Waheed, Mohammed Aslam, Mohammed Amir and Mohammed Rashid - were made hostage.

The police also arrested Zafar Iqbal and Ali Akbar on a lead given by accused Shaukat, however, accused Muneer Ahmed fled the scene. Later, the police managed to arrest Muneer. One of their alleged accomplices, Mir Hasan, is still untraceable and he has been declared absconder in the case.