KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has upheld the life term handed down to a man in a narcotic substances case.

A special court for control of narcotic substances had sentenced Mohammad Shahbaz to life in prison in June 2019 for attempting to smuggle 58 kilograms of heroin powder, which was found in a container at the Karachi International Container Terminal yard in January 2013.

The convict, through his counsel, challenged his conviction before the SHC and after hearing both sides and examining the record and proceedings, a two-judge bench headed by Justice Mohammad Karim Khan Agha dismissed the appeal and maintained the verdict of the trial court.

The bench in its judgement observed that the appellant was found on the spot when the recovery of drug was made and it came on record that he was the proprietor of two companies involved in the export business and also had bank accounts in respect of both firms.

Thus, it had been established that appellant was not a lowly labourer at the port as he claimed in his defence, it said and added that as per the evidence of a clearing agent, an independent witness, that when the Anti-Narcotic Force had opened the container the appellant pointed out that the narcotics were hidden in 10 wooden tables.

The order further said that the appellant had given a signed undertaking on the stamp paper in respect of the consignment in the container from which the narcotics were recovered which directly connected him with the container and its consignment.

The plea of the appellant about acquittal of a co-accused in the case had of no assistance to him as the evidence against the co-accused was far lesser than that against him as his case was on a completely different footing, it concluded.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2022