LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Wednesday handed down death penalty to four suspects on nine counts for their role in a last year blast near the residence of Jamatud Dawa’s chief Hafiz Saeed in Johar Town.

The convicts include Peter Paul, Eid Gul, Ziaullah and Sajjad Hussain.

The trial judge also awarded five-year imprisonment to another suspect Ayesha Gul on charges of facilitating the prime suspects.

Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta conducted a jail trial of the suspects due to security reasons.

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) had arrested the suspects and the prosecution presented 56 witnesses during the trial.

The suspects had denied the charges and their role in the incident. They said the CTD charged them to show its performance only.

On June 23, 2021, a powerful blast near the residence of Hafiz Saeed in Johar Town had killed three people and injured 24 others, including a police constable.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2022