KARACHI: An antiterrorism court has sentenced a man to eight years in prison in an attempted murder and encounter with police case.

Bilal was found guilty of firing at the police with unlicensed weapons in Gulshan-i-Iqbal last year.

His accomplice Ameen was also convicted of possessing unlicensed weapon and he was jailed for five years.

The ATC-III judge, who conducted the trial in the judicial complex inside the central prison, pronounced his verdict reserved after recording evidence and final arguments from both sides.

The judge noted that the prosecution successfully proved the charge against both the accused. The court handed down eight-year imprisonment to Bilal. He was also ordered to pay Rs10,000 fine and in case of default he would undergo additional four-month imprisonment.

The judge sentenced Ameen to five year in prison. He was also ordered to pay Rs10,000 fine or undergo four-month additional imprisonment.

According to the prosecution, a police patrol signalled two men roaming suspiciously in the area, to stop but their started indiscriminate firing and police returned fire. Following an encounter, the accused were arrested and unlicensed weapons recovered from them.

Separate cases were registered under Section 324 (attempted murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 at the Gulshan-i-Iqbal police station on behalf of the state.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2022