BAHAWALPUR: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Friday handed down two-year jail term each to four militants belonging to the banned Tahreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Jamiat Ulema-i-Ahrar (JUA), besides ordering confiscation of their properties.

ATC Judge Nasir Hussain handed down the sentence to the four men for possessing explosives which they wanted to use in attacks on sensitive installations in Bahawalpur city and Sammsatta during 2021.

The convicts – Naik Amal, Nazir Khan, Hayatullah and Lalzada – belonged to Mohmand Agency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and lived in Lahore, Muzzafargarh and other places.

According to prosecution, the four men were hiding in Hootwala village near Sammasatta with explosives and were planning to attack on April 3, 2021, sensitive installations in Bahawalpur and area around Sammsatta.

The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel conducted a raid on their hideout and foiled their attempt to attack the installations, recovering explosives and illegal arms from them.

The CTD registered FIR No 9/21 under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) against the militants that said they had also links with the TTP terrorists based in Afghanistan.

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2022