KARACHI, July 12: The Sindh High Court dismissed on Wednesday an appeal by a former air force official convicted of attempt to murder Deputy Inspector-General Manzoor Ahmed Mughal.

According to the prosecution, Bashir Khan Awan, 54, sought permission to see Mr Mughal in the SSP (Investigation) office on July 27, 2005. He was allowed in by the staff present in the office but as soon as he entered, he took out a TT pistol and fired at the police officer. He missed the target and was overpowered by another visitor, Ghulam Haider, and the officer himself. Other police officials rushed in and arrested Bashir.

The accused was tried by an anti-terrorism court of Karachi presided over by judge Haq Nawaz Baloch. The court sentenced him to seven years’ rigorous imprisonment for attempt to murder under the Pakistan Penal Code, five years’ RI for keeping an unlicensed pistol under the Arms Ordinance, and another five years’ RI for creating a sense of fear and insecurity in the police force and among the people at large under the Anti-Terrorist Act. He was also fined Rs50,000 under the PPC.

He challenged his conviction and sentence in the high court and a division bench dismissed his appeal after hearing his counsel and the counsel for the prosecution.