KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday upheld the conviction and jail terms handed down by an antiterrorism court to a man linked to militant Islamic State (IS) group.

An ATC had sentenced Sikandar Khan to five years in prison as well as other sentences of imprisonment in August last year for demanding protection money from a doctor and terrorising him by opening fire and hurling explosives at his clinic in February 2020 in the Old Sabzi Mandi area.

The convict filed appeals against his conviction in both the cases and after hearing arguments and examining the record and proceedings, a two-judge bench headed by Justice Mohammad Karim Khan Agha dismissed the appeals and maintained the conviction order of the ATC.

The bench observed that based on the acts and conduct of the appellant as well as facts and circumstances of the case, the offence fell within the ambit of the Anti-Terrorism Act as he had demanded extortion, and along with his accomplices, also fired at the clinic and used an explosive device with an intention of terrorising the doctor/complainant for refusing to pay protection money.

The appellant was arrested on the spot and an unlicensed weapon was also found in his custody and as per a ballistic report, the weapon was matched with the empty bullet casings found at the crime scene, the bench said, adding that the prosecution had proved its cases against the appellant beyond a reasonable doubt.

According to the prosecution, the appellant, along with his accomplice, came at the clinic of Dr Sirajuddin on Feb 14, 2020 and handed over an envelope to his nephew asking him to deliver it to the complainant.

The envelope contained demand of protection money from IS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Quraishi. On Feb 27, the appellant along with three accomplices again came at the clinic and hurled explosive substance, it added.

Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2022