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LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Friday sentenced two people to eight years in prison for lying to authorities about a terrorist attack on the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore in 2014.
The decision was announced by ATC judge Justice Zafar Iqbal Hussain.
In 2014, the accused persons Sonia and Kashif had made false statements about terrorists coming from Saudi Arabia and launching an attack on the said airport.
When the administration tried to track down the purported threat, it surfaced that the matter was something entirely different.
The ATC also ordered the two to pay a fine of Rs50,000 each.
In the wake of the Dec 16 Taliban attack on Peshawar's Army Public School, the government has strengthened its anti-terror strategy.
The attack resulted in the formulation of a National Action Plan to counter terrorism which also saw a parliamentary consensus on the constitution of military courts in the country, rolling of the moratorium on capital punishment as well as renewed resolve to counter religious extremism by cracking down on terror financing and regulating madrassahs.
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Comments (30) Closed
Feb 27, 2015 04:37pm
Hoax calls are a menace too. Severe punishment like this is a good deterrent,
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Feb 27, 2015 05:04pm
Why did not they tender written apology to the interior ministry ? hnh..
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Feb 27, 2015 05:22pm
Good. Strict and quick punishments is the ONLY solution to the problems of this country
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Feb 27, 2015 05:23pm
Eight years to pranksters and bail for actual terrorists.
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Feb 27, 2015 06:03pm
Then how come Moulana Aziz still free?
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Feb 27, 2015 06:24pm
What a sham. Terrorists go free.
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Feb 27, 2015 06:30pm
@Umair You are so correct, the punishment to terrorists is seen now is only due to the military courts. these young idiots should have not done so, even then the hard core criminals are roaming free on bails and see these two young chaps.
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Feb 27, 2015 06:34pm
@Umair - Bail is not aquittal.
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Feb 27, 2015 06:34pm
they deserve it, show zero tolerance for these people. People are dying and they think it is Joke.
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Feb 27, 2015 06:38pm
Without any details of the case, how can we know the it was a hoax. We know for sure that Saudi Arabia has been playing its proxy war against Iran from Afghanistani and Pakistani terroritory. The saudi princes dont visit Balochistan for distributing sweeties.. they come for hunting and for their dirty work.
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Feb 27, 2015 06:58pm
All this while sectarian hate mongers like Maulana Aziz and Malik Ishaq remain free
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Feb 27, 2015 07:29pm
The reason these individuals were sentenced is because the authorities had to get off their chairs and do some work. The whole country is in ruins yet nothing, but they put 2 people behind bars for 8 years.
What about all the politicians who have been eating the country, since its inception.
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Feb 27, 2015 07:53pm
our beloved judges think they did a lion's work in catching small fish like these while there are big sharks freely walking around. Out stupid useless judges.
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Feb 27, 2015 07:55pm
Speedy trial indeed. The sentencing was done within a year. Why not big brother's prestige was in danger. Well done Haji Sharif.
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Feb 27, 2015 08:04pm
@Umair - Bail is not acquittal.
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Feb 27, 2015 08:39pm
Punishment on the basis of new legislation applied retrospectively? Kangaroo court justice.
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Feb 27, 2015 09:00pm
Something misfit. Terrorist like Maulana Aziz is roaming free???
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Feb 27, 2015 09:13pm
The judges know they can be harsh with non-terrorists.
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Feb 27, 2015 09:56pm
When the administration tried to track down the purported threat, it surfaced that the matter was something entirely different................. AND WHAT THAT MATTER ?
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Feb 27, 2015 10:47pm
@Nasir because maulana is a very powerful guy may be he knows their secrets or may be he will destabilize them politically
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Feb 27, 2015 10:57pm
@Malik
''They'' are all ''honourable'' men, that's why.
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Feb 27, 2015 11:23pm
Instead of putting this child in jail for 8 years where he will become professional criminal he should under supervision. Pakistan is only country where government makes NRO deal with
criminal politicians and release TTP terrorists from jails. If government want to teach a lesson, start from corrupts leaders, punish Lahore Model town's criminals first. There never will be fair justice for ordinary person in Pakistan as long as PML-N government in charge.
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Feb 27, 2015 11:31pm
@Harmony Bail is not acquittal but it is not imprisonment or conviction either.
It is a pity that system is coming down like a ton of bricks on kids while known hate monger era continue to roam free and spread hate.
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Feb 27, 2015 11:37pm
This is unbelievably harsh punishment for this crime. The courts failed to punish real terrorists and now punishing a couple for eight long years for a hoax call? Unbelievable!
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Feb 28, 2015 02:36am
Eight years of imprisonment over a hoax telephone call is a huge and unjust punishment and would ruin these youths. Fine of 50,000 is not less either. PK jails would convert them in actual terrorists. It seems PK judges lost their senses. They left Maulvi Burqa and Malik Ishaq type terrorists free and are punishing innocent people. Perhaps they are pretending that they are doing some actions against terrorism. OR Perhaps they did not like truth that terrorists are coming from Saudia hence beating the bush.
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Feb 28, 2015 02:45am
Good decision by the court.
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Feb 28, 2015 03:03am
@Harmony Ya, but 8 years?
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Feb 28, 2015 03:32am
Very unfortunate they are not related to some bigwigs .
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Feb 28, 2015 05:12am
The two may not have chosen the right words to report the people who attacked the airport if they said that they came directly from Saudi Arabia but they were certainly pointing in the right direction for the ultimate responsibility for terrorism in the country. Saudis don't have to come to Pakistan to do the dirty work. They got large number of their agents in Pakistan carrying out their agenda. The intention of the two was to highlight the root cause of the problem and their action suggests that they are patriotic Pakistanis. Their sentiments should be valued. They don't deserve to be in Jail.
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Feb 28, 2015 03:40pm
Why not put Abdul Aziz for eight years instead for not condemning the Peshawar attack, why is he romaing around freely
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