PESHAWAR: An anti-terrorism court here on Thursday convicted an Afghan national arrested on the charges of possessing explosive material and other illegal items and sentenced him to 14 years rigorous imprisonment along with confiscation of his properties.

Judge Saleem Jan Khan ruled that the prosecution had proved its case against the accused Najihul Haq, an Afghan national presently residing at Akhunabad area of Peshawar, and the evidence on record connected him with the commission of the offence.

The prosecution claimed that the officials of Pishtakhara police station had arrested the accused on Aug 9, 2014, and recovered from his possession two kilogrammes of explosive material, detonators and other items used in preparation of improvised explosive devices.

The court sentenced him to 14 years imprisonment under the Explosive Substance Act and another five years under the Foreigners Act for illegal stay in Pakistan.

The sentences will run concurrently. The court also ordered that the convict should be deported after completion of his prison term. The state prosecutor contended that the accused was caught red-handed while carrying the explosive material.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2015

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