KARACHI, Nov 22: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday upheld conviction of six activists of the banned Harkatul Mujahideen Al-Alami in possession of illegal weapons case.

The court, however, set aside their sentence under police encounter and attempt to murder charges.

Naveed Hamid, Imran Khan, Mohammad Abid, Syed Khurrum Shahab, Mohammad Nasir and Mohammad Amir were arrested by the police after a shootout on May 23, 2004, in Kalakot.

Police claimed recovery of illegal weapons and explosive material from their possession and alleged that they fired on police and hurled grenades to avoid their arrest.

Besides police claimed recovery of huge cache of arms and explosives, including ballistic missiles, explosives, fuses for missiles, arms and ammunition from house on pointation of the accused.

The ATC after conducting trial had awarded three years' jail term to Harkat activists under section 147, 148 of PPC; two years under Section 149, 353 and 427 of PPC; seven years under Sections 324 of PPC, 4 of Explosive Substance Act read with section 7 of Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and seven years under section 13-D of Arms Ordinance with Section 7 of ATA.

They were, however, exonerated from charges pertaining to the recovery of huge quantity of explosives, including ballistic missiles, explosives, fuses for missiles, arms and ammunition, as it could not be proved by the prosecution.

Their appeals against conviction were heard by SHC's division bench, comprising Justice Mohammad Afzal Soomro and Justice Rehmat Hussain Jaffery.—PPI