QUETTA Sept 30: A local Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Saturday awarded death penalty to one accused and life term to his four accomplices in a dacoity-cum-murder case.

Presiding officer Abdul Ghais Nausherwani announced that the four were guilty of the crime. He sentenced Munawar alias Muna to death and Khan Tapos, Noor Ahmed, Abdul Latif and Ghulam Qadir to life imprisonment. They were also sentenced to pay a fine of Rs100,000 each. The court, however, acquitted absconding accused Muhammad Anwar for want of incriminating evidence.

According to the prosecution the convicts had killed Qaiser Rashid during a dacoity attempt.

APP adds: The court convicted accused Ghulam Qadir in absentia. The convicts had barged into the house of Qaiser Rashid in the Jinnah Town with the intention to commit dacoity. During the attempt, convict Munawar killed Qaiser Rashid as he had offered resistance. Later, they looted Rs 59,000 cash and other valuables from the house and fled from the scene.

Meanwhile, another ATC headed by Najeebullah Khan sentenced Karar Hussain to undergo 15 years RI and pay a fine of Rs50,000 for injuring two men in Quetta in 2005.

No deal with QDA: The All Balochistan Transport Action Committee has contradicted the Quetta Development Authority’s claim of an accord on shifting of the city’s bus stand to Hazarganji.

The committee’s chairman Haji Abdul Qadir Raisani said at a press conference here on Saturday that the QDA was creating confusion and provoking transporters and people, which might lead to law and order problem.