PESHAWAR, March 14: Senior Civil Judge Asghar Shah Khilji on Tuesday ordered deportation of two Algerians convicted of possessing forged Pakistani identity cards and illegal staying here.

The court sentenced them to nine months’ imprisonment each.

The court extended them the benefit of section 382-B under which the period they had already spent in prison would be counted in their term. Since they have been in prison for over nine months, the court ordered their deportation.

Convicts Riba Muhammad alias Azizullah and Muhammad Saeed alias Zahid Ibraheem were charged in an FIR registered by the Crimes Investigation Department on June 5, 2005, under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code read with section 14 of the Foreigners Act.

A former MNA and leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Jawed Ibraheem Paracha, pursued the case for the accused and would now arrange for their air tickets. Three children of the two Algerians were also present in the courtroom.

Advocate Haji Fida Gul appeared for the accused and contended that they had already spent much time in prison. He said that they had not committed any forgery and were falsely implicated in the case.

According to prosecution, the accused were picked up on Jun 5, 2004 from Faisal Colony here. The have been residing in Pakistan for the past several years and were married to Pakistani girls in Swat.

The CID claimed it had information about presence of some Al Qaeda suspects at a house in Faisal Colony. When they raided the house they found the two Algerians there.